WorldStage Newsonline– The Federal Government on Monday reassured the business community in the South East of its commitment to concession the Onitsha River Port for full operations.
The Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Dr George Moghalu who gave the assurance in Onitsha during a stakeholders’ meeting on the economic viability of the River Port operations explained that there were legal contentions currently hindering the smooth completion of the concession process with the preferred Belgian firm, Port of Antwerp.
The NIWA boss further explained that the process to gazette the Onitsha River Port as port of final destination was on in a bid to reduce congestion at the Lagos ports.
According to him, more than five million containers come to Onitsha, Nnewi, Aba and other South East states yearly which he noted accounts for the gridlock on highways.
“The Onitsha River Port is not yet a port of final destination, but the process is on a very high speed to make it a port of destination.
“We are also waiting for a report of a technical adviser which would be presented to the Federal Executive Council for approval.
“Goods can only then be cleared at Onitsha when it is made a destination port,” he said while assuring that he would drive the process to conclusion as NIWA MD.
He said that the agency was engaging the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Police Force and Army in collaboration with NIWA Police to beef up security on waterways, especially Onitsha to Onne and Onitsha to Lagos Ports.
Moghalu said to make the business process comfortable for investors, the agency had made the issue of insurance cover mandatory for all badges and vessels plying the routes.
The managing director disclosed that the agency had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NUPENG to move bulk petroleum products from Lagos to Onitsha, Baro and Lokoja ports to encourage water transportation.
