Don’t panic over Supreme Court judgement, NIWA MD tells stakeholders

The Acting Managing Director/CEO of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Umar Yusuf Girei, has counselled stakeholders and clients of the Authority not to panic over the recent Supreme Court judgment concerning aspects of the NIWA Act.

Umar Yusuf Girei explained that the apex court upheld the Authority’s statutory responsibilities relating to inland waterways navigation, safety regulation, channel management, river infrastructure development, and the promotion of inland waterways transportation as contained in Sections 10 and 11 of the NIWA Act.

The NIWA boss gave the counsel while addressing the media at the NIWA headquarters in Lokoja, Kogi State recently.

According to him, Sections 12 and 13 of the Act, which deal with land matters unrelated to maritime activities, were voided by the Supreme Court only to the extent of their inconsistency with the Constitution.

Girei therefore urged all stakeholders to remain calm, law-abiding, and await an official statement from NIWA after the Authority obtains the Certified True Copy of the judgment from the Supreme Court.