NIWA laments insecurity of Onitsha, Warri ports

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Port Manager for the Onitsha River port, Mr Baba Spencer has highlighted the issue of security as the greatest challenge of the port facility.

This is even as the Onitsha and Warri Area offices of the agency also bemoaned the lack of functional vehicles, inadequate staff and conflicts with sister agencies as their major constraints in their areas of operations.

In a statement signed on Wednesday by the NIWA Spokesman, Tayo Fadile, the Onitsha River Port manager disclosed this when the NIWA Managing Director, Senator Adeleke Olorunnimbe Mamora visited as part of his familiarisation tour of the agency’s facilities.

According to Baba Spencer, “Since the inception of the River Port, our mode of operations are strictly port related activities, like the use of port facilities given as slipway, use of the port waterfront and occasional berthing of crafts.”

The Onitsha River Port Manager further explained that their major challenge is security. He explained that the collapsed of the perimeter fence by the port slipway and the leased to M & E dredging services as dumpsites have made the port highly prone to security risk.

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He further called for the reinforcement of the perimeter fence, maintenance of the port equipment, rehabilitation of the dilapidated fire services station and allocation of an operational vehicle which the port does not have at the moment.

At the Onitsha Area Office, the Area Manager Mrs. Uchi Amadi told the visiting MD that the Area Office, in a bid to boost and diversify her revenue base, is reaching out to the public for private partnership to develop and industrialise her floodable plains right of way, and utilization of the Island along the waterways for recreation, Agriculture and Cattle Ranching.

She, however, said their major challenges in the area office is inadequate staff, non-functional vehicles, challenges from sister agencies like Ministry of Solid Minerals Development over jurisdiction and the effort of the Authority at recovering some NIWA properties illegally occupied or annexed.

At the Warri Area Office, the Managing Director was received by the Area Manager, Engr Tammuno Fiberesima who briefed him on the activities of the area office which include Berthing services, loading and off-loading services, rents of space and warehouse amongst others.

The Area Manager said the Dockyard services like the slipway is not operational now as it is undergoing rehabilitation.
In the words of Engr. T Fiberesima, “Our major challenges are lack of functional vehicles, lack of functional boats for revenue drive and general patrol and also lack of adequate staff and training,”

In his reaction to all their requests, the Managing Director said as a team leader, he is giving them his words of encouragement and expect them to put in their best to the growth and development of the Authority.

He said the Authority will look into their requests based on merit and availability of funds so as to meet up their official obligations. He urged all the staff to rededicate themselves at their place of work and that NIWA will continue to support them.