From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) said it would deploy Navy, Marine police and a special squad ahead of the resumption of Onitsha River Port, to secure the Waterways.
Managing Director of the agency, Dr George Moghalu, made the disclosure while enumerating the arrangements the agency is putting in place to combat the security challenges for an efficient operation.
Moghalu made the disclosure during the formal handing over of the Port to the concessioners in Abuja, assuring that the good thing was that it would help decongest the roads.
He itemised the challenges the agency encountered in finalising the concession arrangements, explaining that; “we cannot really quantify the challenges. First, it is something you have not done before. The concession of the Port is the first in the maritime industry in the country. The good thing is that we have done it in line with international best practices.
“There are lots of vessels that fall within the limits of the available draft. Draft, to a very reasonable extent, determines the size of vessels that come to any port.
(Continued on www.sunnewsonline.com)
The major emphasis is to see to whatever extent we can use the batching process to move consignment from Apapa, Tincan to Onitsha, and inland ports that are in the process of concession.
“Another challenge could be security, but there is an arrangement on ground to handle that. Let me place on record the support we have received from the Nigeria Navy. Don’t forget that NIWA has its own special police, there is also the marine police, and regular police.
“What I want to admit is that everybody is concerned. Just like the road, there is also a security challenge in our waters. But, I want to assure that we are going to be handling them as they come, because they are not insurmountable,” he assured.
On the importance of the River Port, Moghalu said: “The importance is immeasurable, especially the decongestion of the road and the Apapa Port that will be reduced to the barest minimum. We know, and statistics have shown that over 60 percent of containerised items that arrive at both Tincan and Apapa, end up in the Southeast.
Meanwhile, the NIWA boss has expressed happiness over his recognition as the the winner of the Businessday Excellence in Public Service Award 2021 by the Businessday Publishing Limited.
Speaking on the award, the former National Auditor of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said: “The award means so much to me, especially as I did not know anything about it. Excellence in Public Service Award 2021, to me, means that recognition is motivation for more work.
“It is even more pleasing when a reputable medium like Businessday explained that it was as a result of painstaking and careful review of my starling performance and landmark achievements by the Award Committee,” he said.