Moghalu: We Are Revolutionising Water Transportation to Check Pressure on Roads, Lagos Gridlock
The Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority NIWA, Dr. George Moghalu Friday said every measure is being put in place to make water transportation the preferred choice of many Nigerians in terms of movement of persons and goods to any part of the country.
Moghalu who spoke at a stakeholders meeting in Lagos added that the authority wants a situation in which bulk cargoes and persons in Lagos use water inland transport to reduce pressure on the roads and check gridlock in Apapa area.
He also assured that every effort is being made to ensure that operators of boats obey safety regulations.
According to him, “We have observed with deep concern the issue of increasing boat accidents on our waterways. It has been observed that such accidents happen mostly at night or early in the morning. We have instructed our area offices to henceforth start arresting substandard ferry operators. No more rickety ferries on our waterways. The Marine Police has also been alerted.
“Henceforth any ferry operating without navigational equipment would be arrested. The reason we are automating our registration and licensing procedures is to ensure that a boat operator does not violate the law for instance in Lagos and run to Port Harcourt, the operator would be easily apprehended. In fact we are designing a licensing sticker that would be pasted on all duly licensed and registered boats for easy identification and once you are registered anywhere in Nigeria, you can operate in any part of the country”
Moghalu also disclosed that processes for the concession of Onitsha and Baro River Ports were ongoing, adding that no preferred bidder has emerged.
He said that to make water transportation safer, he had on assuming office cleared the waterways of water hyacienth, wrecks and others that could be dangerous for navigation.
He also said that the authority is currently building new jetties in Lagos, rehabilitation of old ones for safe and secure navigation.
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