The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has refuted allegations of internal discord within its management regarding the appointment of Olawale Adetola as the Acting Managing Director.
The organization also commended the former Managing Director, George Moghalu, for adhering to established procedures by passing the baton to Adetola, the most senior General Manager.
The Acting General Manager of Corporate Affairs at NIWA, Jibril Darda’u, conveyed this message through a statement released in Lokoja on Monday.
Darda’u emphasized that there were no disagreements among the General Managers concerning the temporary leadership of the authority until the Federal Government selects a permanent Managing Director.
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He expressed disappointment with the actions of a self-proclaimed group called the Maritime Pressure Group, which criticized Moghalu’s performance during his four-year tenure that concluded on September 29. Darda’u also defended the decision to appoint Adetola as Acting Managing Director.
“The group’s discredit assertion on the four year administration of Chief George Moghalu is not true, as it is an act of sponsored blackmail, considering his landmark achievements during his tenure. This is verifiable to the general public. It is a known fact that Chief George Moghalu, being a seasoned politician, and a technocrat, that did not hinder his official performance in NIWA. Rather he infused his experience, culture and innovation of the private sector for the success recorded in NIWA so far.
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“The fact is that Chief George Moghalu, being a law abiding citizen, handed over the leadership of NIWA to the most senior General Manager on the exact date his tenure ended during working hours and not in the night as purported. We will continue to reiterate that Chief George Moghalu tried his best in uplifting and developing the inland waterways sector. He left NIWA better than he met it,” he said.
The Acting Managing Director of NIWA began his tenure with the organization in 1992 and advanced to the position of General Manager in 2018. He initially served as the inaugural General Manager of the Business Development department and subsequently led the Procurement department.