By Abubakar Yunusa
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has urged the Federal Government to strengthen its commitment to the waterway sector to significantly boost the economy, emphasizing that the potential in the blue economy is enormous if properly harnessed.
The Managing Director of NIWA, George Moghalu, made this call when he hosted members of the House of Representatives on a fact-finding visit in Abuja yesterday.
According to him, if waterway transportation, which is a part of our economy, is well managed, I can assure you that it will benefit and have a positive impact on our economy.
“If the efforts put into road transportation are also put into water transportation, I can assure you we won’t be discussing this issue again. We are doing everything to ensure that we follow due process and proper regulations in the sector,” Moghalu stated.
Speaking further, Moghalu said, “When I came into office, there was a need for us to open our waterways so that we can transport people and cargo by waterway.”
He also disclosed that our road infrastructure is not designed to carry the weight that containers carry because containers are designed to be transported through waterways and not by roads.
In his earlier remarks, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee Investigating Failures of Federal Mass Transit Schemes, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, said, “As a committee, we have decided to cast our net far and wide to understand why there are about 10,000 kilometers of waterways, 3,800 of which are navigated. Why are we not able to establish an efficient and workable waterway transportation system across the country, and why have we not been able to develop an inland rail system?”
Moghalu explained that their initial plan was to go to Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State, to assess the situation, listen to the problems, collaborate, and seek beneficial solutions for our people.
“I think NIWA should be a critical beneficiary of any future mass transportation scheme,” Moghalu said .
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