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By Steve Agbota
Lagos Area Manager, National Inland Waterways Authority ( NIWA) Engineer, Sarat Braimah has advised the leadership of Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association Of Nigeria (WABOTAN) to embrace technology in all aspects of water transportation economy.
She hinted of the desire of the industry to benchmark new growth process and projects which would innovate and drive templates to speedy advancement of the brown water economy, targeting new jobs and contributing to national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Speaking during a courtesy visit to her office in Lagos yesterday, by the newly inaugurated association led by its President, Mr Tope Fajimirokun, Braimah, said that NIWA will encourage associations and groups, willing to partner with government to move the industry forward and enjoined WABOTAN to stay focused on its vision and aspirations in order to avoid failure to its birth goals.
“We at NIWA, will be watching your operations, as you go about your concerns. We know you Mr President and your passion for the industry and pray you stay focused and avoid positions which may cause problems for the industry,” she explained.
The NIWA Area Manager stated that technology is the way to go in global markets and Nigeria water transportation economy cannot lag behind, pleading with the leadership of WABOTAN and members to do things differently, and also showcase its membership profile and location of its business operations to help NIWA capture and deploy technical support to put WABOTAN operations in perspective.
“We must identify your members and effectively engage them, to know what they will do so that we can be well guided to ensure safety of water ways users and also monitor your day to day activities,” she said.
President of WABOTAN, Mr Tope Fajimirokun, stated that the association with presence in all littoral communities and states in the country, is out to address certain challenges in the industry and has no business in being seen as a rival body but as progressive response to key developmental expectations by stakeholders in the sector.
“We are clearly set to bring new ideas, assist government to put in measures to empower and create more jobs, and put to use technology to operationalise water transportation business, train and retrain our members and effectively engage government towards improving the quality of service on our waterways,” he said.
