The National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, has proposed to opt out of the national budget by 2023 fiscal year.
The Agency says this will help in upscalling the development in inland water transportation in Nigeria.
Managing Director of NIWA, Dr. George Moghalu dropped made this known when he appeared before the National Assembly joint Committee on Marine Transport (Senate) and Ports, Harbours/ Inland Waterways (House of Representatives) to defend the 2022 budget of the agency.
Dr. Moghalu expressed the determination of the agency to become fully self-funding by 2023 upon the passage of NIWA Bill.
According to him, NIWA is determined more than ever before to become fully self funding by 2023 predicated upon the passage of the NIWA bill, in so doing upscaling development of inland water transportation in the country.
He, however, assured members of the joint committee that the autonomy by the NIWA would not take the power of oversight from the lawmakers, that the aim of the autonomy was not to burden the national budget.
2022 Budget
On 2022 budget, the Managing Director said the =N=12.8 billion proposal was subvention for capital budget from the Nigerian government while the total internally generated revenue, IGR proposal is =N=21.2 billion made up of recurrent estimate of =N=10.8 billion.
The NIWA Boss, however, caught the trouble of many Senators and Honourable members who complained about clumsyness of the report presented for consideration.
Thereafter, chairman of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator Danjuma Goje, called for the postponement of the budget defence over the issue raised by members.
He said: “In view of various inconsistencies in the budget, you have to reappear before the committee at another date which will be communicated to you.”
Confidence Okwuchi
