The House of Representatives Committee on Inland Waterways has faulted the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) 2023 budget.
Speaking on Monday in Abuja at the budget defence of the authority, the Chairman of the Committee, Patrick Asadu alleged that the budget was not in tandem with the requirements of the agency.
He said: “We put money where money is not needed and abandoned where money is needed. You know what flood did to Nigeria few months ago, as we look at that budget there was no provision for flooding.
“What it means is that those things taken over by flood they are still going to be taken over by more flood.
“We are doing nothing about it, because the budget envelop system that we are adopting does not make provisions for emergencies.
“Climate Change means these things will keep getting worse, so why are we not reacting to it,” he said.
Asadu said that what was captured in the budget was addressed about 10 years ago.
“So NIWA cannot put a kobo to the budget because it has already been imputed by the budget office,” he said.
Managing Director of NIWA, George Moghalu, called on the House to ensure its full autonomy by 2023, adding that the authority was determine to become autonomous by 2023.
This according to him, will be predicated upon the passage of NIWA Bill and in so doing it would upscale the development of Inland Water Transportation in Nigeria.
” I therefore seize this opportunity to appeal to the Chairman and honorable members of this committee to use your good office to ensure a conducive financial and legal environment.
” That will provide the boost needed for the National Inland Waterways to achieve its full potentials,” he said.
He said the idea of being subsistence was in line with the present government policy of diversifying the economy toward agriculture and solid mineral development.
He said it was expedient to encourage government Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs) to become autonomous or less dependent on government. nan.
