Posted on March 29, 2023
Nigerian Inland Waterway Authority (NIWA) is to spend N1.87 billion on rock blasting on waterways, dredging, construction of jetties, river ports and purchase of dredger before the end of the year. The amount earmarked for the project is 44.3 per cent of the authority’s total capital expenditure of N4.23billion. Findings by New Telegraph revealed that construction of Makurdi River Port would gulp N300million, while seven jetties , four ramps and completion of Idah and Agenebode jetties will be N165million. Despite budgeting N780million for the construction of an inland river port and supply of cargo handling equipment at Lokoja in 2022, this year, it was also revealed that construction of inland river port and supply of cargo handling equipment at Lokoja and Oguta port would take N515million from NIWA’s capital project. Also, it was revealed that N650million would be spent on rock blasting on waterways and procurement of dredger. In Anambra, Delta and Ebonyi states, NIWA had assigned N245million to build jetties at Odekpe, Anambra; Ebu, Delta and Oziza, Ebonyi. Currently, a mobile harbour crane, transit shed, administrative block, fire hydrant system, water treatment plant, reach stacker, 100KVA power generating set and three numbers forklifts of various tonnages are rusting at the port due to lack of good road and railway to link the port after it completion in 2019. Lask week, the authority’s Area Office head in Lagos, Engineer Sarat Braimah, complained that NIWA lacked enough operational vehicles, security and jetties to discharge its duties. Braimah told the governing Sciboard of the authority in Lagos that despite being located in the centre of business, the authority’s office in Lagos was due for a remodel. Also, she added that NIWA’s generator was over 20 years old and due for a change. She noted: “We also need more security to man our jetties. We also need more operational vehicles because naturally, people don’t want to pay tax. You have to chase them around to ensure they pay. So, we need more operational vehicles to do this. “We also need a slip-way. We currently don’t have any in Lagos, and that’s why most of our marine boats are not getting adequate repairs. The slip-way we are currently us-ing is owned by a client, but we need our own slip-way. We also need to establish our presence in Ikorodu, Epe, Badagry and Agbara. “We currently don’t have jetties in this places. We only have in Marina, Tin-Can, Apapa and Mariko. That is all that we have. We need more jetties in areas where we currently lack presence.” The area manager also used the opportunity to commend the governing board for approving an increment in salaries of the workers. The Chairman of the NIWA Governing Board, Senator Binta Masi-Garba, stressed the need to make a change in te Lagos office facilities and amenities.
Masi-Garba explained: “Of cause, there is need for change in the NIWA Lagos Office. As the Area Manager told us about the IGR that they have been able to generate over the years into the Federal Government coffers, then there is need for comfort for the workers at the Lagos Office of NIWA. “If an Area brings in more funds, the onus lies on the agency to ensure that such Area’s needs are taken care of. “In our meeting with the workers, they told us many challenges that they will like us to help them fix. Even the office that we sat in is becoming too small for them. If we want to continue to get the best from this workers, we need to attend to their needs.”
