Flood: NIMASA boss lauds FG over dredging of River Benue

Yinka Oladoyinbo – Lokoja

THE chairman of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Maj Gen Jonathan Garba (rtd), on Sunday said the dredging of River Benue would bring a lasting solution to the problem of perennial flooding in the area.

He said apart from reducing flooding the states where the river passes through, the dredging would increase federal presence and improved navigability of the water ways.

A statement by Garba and made available to newsmen in Lokoja, Kogi state, said the declaration by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, during his visit to Benue state over the flood brought that the federal government would finding lasting solutions through the construction of proper drainage systems and dredging of the Benue River was commendable.

He said, “The excitement generated by this announcement is understandable given that the River which in times past was a very busy waterway utilised for transporting people and goods between locations as far apart as Buruku in Benue State and Numan in Adamawa State has become filled with silt and other materials and is consequently navigable for long stretches.

“The benefits of the proposed dredging include reduced risk of flooding, greater federal presence in the state, improved navigability of the water ways, increased value of water fronts and greater economic activities along the river banks as well as the riverine communities”.

According to him, the move was in line with the vision of the minister of transport, Rotimi Amaechi, of making all 10,000km of the country’s inland waterways navigable, starting with the most viable stretches.

Garba added that management of the NIMASA was committed to greater synergy with National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) in the shared quest for the development and utilization of the nation’s maritime endowments.