Onitsha River Ports Has Not Been Gazetted, NIWA MD Confesses

…Compulsory Insurance Cover for Barge Operators

By DAPO OLAWUNI

Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Dr George Moghalu has opened up that the controvertial Onitsha River Port is yet to be gazzetted as a port of destination against earlier impressions it made on maritime stakeholders.

Moghalu also said that, to make the business process at the port comfortable for investors, the agency had made the issue of insurance cover mandatory for all badges and vessels plying the routes.

Moghalu stated this in Onitsha during a stakeholders conference on the viability of the River port.

The NIWA boss said that a lot of legal contentions were hindering the completion of the concession process of the port to Port of Antwerp.

Moghalu however 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.

He said that the agency was engaging the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Police Force and Army in collaboration with NlWA Police to beef ug security on waterways, especially Onits a to Onne and Onitsha to Lagos Ports.

“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 waitin for a re ort of a technical adviser w ich wou d 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 NlWA MD.

Moghalu, who expressed delight at a successful haulage of cargo from Onne Port to Onitsha River Port a week a o, solicited the support of the stakehoders to ensure full operations.

“We are now more determined than even to make more waterways navigable to facilitate marine transportation across the country,” he assured.

Earlier, the President of the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA), Mr Chris Ukachukwu expressed hope that the commencement of the full activities at the Onitsha River Port will boost economic activities and create employment opportunities.

Ukachukwu listed the benefits of the Onitsha River Port to include reduction in road traffic congestion, elimination of illegal Customs and Police check char es on roads and increased revenue fort e three tiers of government.

Others benefits, he said included reduction in crime and youth restiveness, longer lifespan of roads and increased water transportation, among others.

Moghalu, who expressed delight at a successful haulage of cargo from Onne Port to Onitsha River Port a week a o, solicited the support of the stakeho ders to ensure full operations.

“We are now more determined than even to make more waterways navigable to facilitate marine transportation across the country,” he assured.

Speaking earlier at the meeting, the President of the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA), Mr Chris Ukachukwu expressed hope that the commencement of the full activities at the Onitsha River Port will boost economic activities and create employment opportunities.

Ukachukwu listed the benefits of the Onitsha River Port to include reduction in road traffic congestion, elimination of illegal Customs and Police check char es on roads and increased revenue fort e three tiers of government.

Others benefits, he said included reduction in crime and youth restiveness, longer lifespan of roads and increased water transportation, among others.