Senator Binta Masi-Garba in a discussion with NIWA MD, Dr. George Moghalu when the NIWA Governing Board visited the agency’s Lagos Office on Tuesday
NIWA Exits IPPIS, Joins List Of Self-Sustaining Agencies Of Government
Fred Omotara, Lagos
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has exited the Federal Government Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System (IPPIS), thereby joining a select group of government agencies that are self-sustaining.
Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Engineer Sarat Braimah (middle) welcomes the visiting Chairman, Governing Board of NIWA, Senator Binta Masi-Garba (right) to the NIWA Lagos Office while the agency’s Managing Director, Dr. George Moghalu (left) watches
Disclosing this on Tuesday in Lagos during an on-the-spot inspection of the agency’s Lagos Area Office, the Chairman of the NIWA Governing Board, Senator Binta Masi-Garba assured that efforts will be geared towards improving facilities at the agency’s Area Office in Lagos.
According to Senator Binta Masi-Garba, “Of cause, there is need for change in the NIWA Lagos Office.
“As the Area Manager told us about the IGR that they have been able to generate over the years into the Federal Government coffers, then there is need for comfort for the workers at the Lagos Office of NIWA.
“If an Area brings in more funds, the onus lies on the agency to ensure that such Area’s needs are taken care of.
“In our meeting with the workers, they told us many challenges that they will like us to help them fix. Even the office that we sat in is becoming too small for them. If we want to continue to get the best from this workers, we need to attend to their needs.
“They raised issues like more operational vehicles, patrol boats, provision of Slip-Way for vessel repair, generator amongst other things.
“The joy that I have is that NIWA is now autonomous because the agency has left the IPPIS. They can now raise revenue to take care of themselves and also give a fraction into the Federal Government coffers.
“I want to thank the NIWA MD for putting some structure down that is enhancing the status of NIWA and making the staff happier than they used to be and that will make them do more for the agency.
“Whatever they need, they should prioritized their needs and the MD will look into them. From N600million revenue, they have exceeded the N1billion mark in Lagos. We are now trying to see whether we can go into the N2billion range. Definitely, they should be encouraged.”
Also speaking during the tour, the NIWA MD, Dr. George Moghalu explained that the agency will grow stronger after it’s departure from the Federal Government Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System (IPPIS).
In the words of the NIWA MD, “Our leaving the IPPIS is a basis to work harder and make more money. This is because we are now going to pay ourselves.
“If we want to starve, then we will starve. If we want to get our salaries, then we’ll work harder to get our salaries. I think we have taken a strong position and before we took the position, we have agreed amongst ourselves, management and staff that this is the time to move forward.
