Onitsha River Port: NIWA to deploy Navy, Marine Police, special force to secure 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 is that it will 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 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. 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 Marin 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 per cent of containerised items that arrive at both Tincan and Apapa, end up in the Southeast.

“Simply put, if for instance, five million containers arrive in Lagos for Southeast, it translates to 10 million trailers on our road. If we can now move it by water, we have reduced that pressure from the road. We have saved our infrastructure.

“There are so many advantages to getting the Onitsha River Port to function optimally. The traders can now access their goods near them in addition to removal of the pressure on the roads,” he said.

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 Publisher Limited.

“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.