NIWA to concession Onitsha, Lokoja, Baro, Oguta river ports

THE National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) is set to concession the Onitsha, Lokoja, Baro and Oguta river ports following the granting of a certificate of compliance to go ahead with the concession processes by the Infrastructure Concession Regulation Commission (ICRC)

This was disclosed when the NIWA boss, Mr Boss Mustapha visited the Onitsha, Warri, Yenogoa and Oguta river ports as part of his familiarisation tour of the agency’s Area offices in the area.

At the Onitsha River port, the NIWA Managing Director was impressed with the state of the cargo handling equipment. He, however, frowned at the slow pace of work at the Oguta River port and promised to get the National Assembly and Imo State Government to support the project.

The Managing Director was delighted at the agency’s asset at the Warri dockyard which he said is capable of sustaining the agency financially if properly managed. He promised to address the issue of inadequate manpower and obsolete equipment at the Warri port.

The Managing Director also visited the two jetties at Yenogoa in Bayelsa State and promised that they will be put to use very soon.