Moghalu offers automatic full employment to casual workers in NIWA

Segun Oladipupo |

Some casual workers of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) who had been on temporary employment for over ten years were offered automatic employment by the new Managing Director, Dr. George Moghalu during his official visits to the area offices.

He made this known during a recent interaction with stakeholders in Lagos.

According to him, some of the lucky staff have been working with the agency for between ten and eleven years.

He said when he discovered it, he discussed with the management of the Authority who reasoned along with him and the temporary staff were offered automatic full employment.

Moghalu added that he chose to offer them employment because of the experience they had garnered over the years and patience to wait for that length of time.

The NIWA boss made reference to the incident after the President, Seafarers branch of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Francis Bunu called for consideration of the union members’ welfare.

Moghalu said during his visits to the area offices, he found out that some staff who have been working with NIWA for up to ten to eleven years are yet to be fully engaged.

“I can boldly say that the maritime workers in NIWA, their interest is being protected.

“From the point I took over, I announced it that the interest of my staff is priority because I won’t stand any moral ground to challenge anybody for non-performance if I fail to do what I am supposed to do.

“In the course of my visitation to area offices, I realised that some of our workers there have been casual workers for more than ten years and some, eleven years.

“So, the moment I got approval for employment of staff, I have it as a blanket policy that those who are eleven to eight years should be given automatic employment.

“That was the first thing I did. I took it to management and management asked me to go ahead, that was the first thing we did”, he quipped.

Editing by ‘Biodun Soyele