Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Dr George Moghalu says the set of newly acquired river crafts recently added to the agency’s pool will enhance the operational efficiency of the inland waterways regulatory agency.
It will enhance Nigeria’s dream to become the leader in inland waterways transportation, development and management in the African continent.
Moghalu stated this in Port Harcourt, Friday, at the commissioning of two patrol boats – PB-Gusau and PB-Jalingo – as well as a 32-seater passenger ferry boat by the Minister of Transportation, Engr Mu’azu Sambo. The Minister was in Port Harcourt as part of his fact-finding tour of the eastern ports.
Moghalu who advocated the use of river ports as nodal points for intermodal exchange, stressed the importance of developing infrastructural facilities for a reliable national inland waterways network to connect the creeks and rivers with the major economic centres.
“As you may be aware, in less than a year ago, the Authority commissioned more than twenty patrol boats as well as a tugboat, houseboat and water ambulance for distribution to various Area Offices of the Authority.
“This is part of the Authority’s vision to ensure that the nation’s inland waterways provide a truly safe, efficient, cost effective and alternative mode of transportation of goods and persons, as well as become competitive and attractive.
“There is no gainsaying that the huge opportunities that abound in the nation’s inland waterways can only be maximized if concerted efforts are geared towards the development of infrastructure and proper funding to make the waterways attractive and competitive to players. There’s need for a regulatory framework aimed at actualizing this, which ultimately will take the cost of providing infrastructure on roads to water at relatively cheaper cost”.
NIWA, he disclosed, has licensed several companies for the transportation of cargo across the waterways in Nigeria, especially, from Lagos and Onne Ports to the hinterlands and vice versa.
“To achieve more of these, the Authority is poised to continuously ensure the development of indigenous manpower as well as providing navigational aids, river training works, wreck surveys and removal, establishment of river gauges, construction of jetties, capital and maintenance dredging, establishment of search and rescue stations, rivercraft certification and training of boat drivers and crew, as well as continuous safety sensitization campaigns.
Moghalu recalled that currently, the sixth batch of training and certification of boat skippers by the Authority is in progress in Lagos.
He thanked the Transportation Ministry for its contribution to the growth of the Authority aimed at equipping Nigeria to reap the best from her inland waterways transportation system.
