Stakeholders in the inland waterways sector have lauded the leadership of Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, the leading governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, for his disciplined and orderly tenure as Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
They praised his administration as a marked departure from the prior administrative turbulence that characterized the agency, noting his commitment to restoring discipline and order.
At a recent sensitization program, Tope Fajemirokun, President of the Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association of Nigeria (WABOTAN), emphasized that Oyebamiji reinforced internal discipline, reinstated administrative consistency, and resisted the prevalent tendency of new leadership to disrupt effective operational structures.
Fajemirokun highlighted that under Oyebamiji’s stewardship, water guards received improved stipends; communication with contractors became more transparent; and staff management processes were more structured. Operational records showed enhanced awareness campaigns and more coordinated regulatory activities during his leadership.
Similarly, Ganiyu “Tarzan” Balogun, frontline boat operator and President of the Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON), described his experience with Oyebamiji’s leadership as “largely favorable.”
Acknowledging NIWA’s regulatory mandate rather than operational control, Balogun commended Oyebamiji for strictly enforcing regulations. “He did very well. Though people discuss boat mishaps, his responsibility is regulation, compliance, and enforcing safety standards. In those areas, he has done all he can,” he said.
Balogun further noted enhanced regulatory presence on the waterways, stricter enforcement of life jacket usage, intensified safety awareness campaigns, and strengthened collaboration with state governments and private operators, particularly in high-traffic corridors such as Lagos.
