The
Federal Government has spent over N49 billion in the development of water
transportation in the country.
Managing
Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, Maryam Ciroma, who
disclosed this in Lagos also said that the Authority has concluded plans to
hold an exhibition to further the development of the sector with the theme,
“Moderning Inland Water Infrastructure and Vessels for Safe and Sustainable
Inland Water Transportation in Nigeria.”
The
NIWA boss said that
of the N49 billion, N36 billion was spent on the dredging
and maintenance of the River Niger while the remaining N13 billion was for the
construction and maintenance of jetties and ports across the country.
With
the completion of the dredging, Ciroma noted that the waters now have a draught
of 2.5 meter (during low tide) and over 10 meters during high. This she said
makes the waterways navigable all year round.
She
further noted that the Authority also acquired water-hyacinth machine that cost
a total of N700 million for clearing the nation’s inland waterways of the weed
which obstructs easy navigation.
On
safety of the nation’s waterways, Ciroma explained that though it safer now to
navigate, NIWA will continue to work to make it as safe as other waterways
globally.
On
the delay in the concessioning of the river ports across the country, the NIWA
boss said government has concluded plans with the World Bank and the
Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC, with an Indian company,
Greenstatus acting as the consultant.
She
pointed out that at the completion of the exercise, the jetties concessioned
out while new once will be constructed on a Public Private Partnership (PPP)
basis.
On
those to be expected at the exhibition, she said the banks, insurance
companies, federal and states governments, river transport companies, oil
prospecting companies, oil and gas supporting companies, dredging companies,
shore based businesses, commercial and sand mining companies, among others.
Vanguard
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