FG targets $70bn from inland waterways, multi-modal transportation

THE Federal Government has concluded plans to replicate the United States’ model on inland waterways to generate about $70 billion revenue from its inland waterways and multi-modal transportation networks.

As part of the plans to achieve this, the Ministry of Transportation, in a statement issued recently said that the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo unveiled the navigational charts of the lower River Niger from Lokoja in Kogi State to Burutu in Delta State.

The Navigational charts cover 594km (321 Nautical Miles) with a total survey area of 1719.8 Square Kilometers.

The Minister who spoke at the NAF conference center in Abuja, said the project is in tandem with the statutory responsibilities and objectives of the Federal Ministry of Transportation.

He said the project would boost the efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government towards the development and operation of an efficient and safe Inland waterways transportation network.

“A well-developed and efficient Inland Water Transportation is necessary for an integrated and functional multi–modal transportation system, whose major pillar is dependent upon accurate and timely hydrographic surveys/charts.

“The objective of this Project is to provide direct maritime linkages within Nigeria and between African countries, thereby catalyzing Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, attracting Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), creating highly needed jobs, and boosting internal as well as intra – African trade,” Sambo said.

The Minister also added that the US economy today is supported by revenues of over $70 billion from 600 million tons of cargo transported through its inland waterways, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, building and growing Agro-industrial communities along the waterway channels and thus spreading economic prosperity throughout the length and breadth of its waterways network.

According to him, the USA’s waterways and multi-modal transportation network provide a competitive edge in global markets. No wonder, its corn and soybean farmers are the most efficient in the world!

Sambo said that Nigeria is blessed with an 800 km coastline and over 10,000 km of inland waterways that potentially confers it with such maritime power that in itself alone, can transform the country into a great and prosperous place on earth!