Turn Lagos Area office into cargo trans-shipment hub, minister urges NIWA

THE Minister of Transportation, Alhahi Muazu Jaji Sambo has urged the management of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to hasten efforts towards the conversion of its Lagos Area office into a cargo trans-shipnent hub for cargoes going to Warri, Onitsha and Baro from Lagos ports.

Seaking recently when he made a facility tour of the Port Harcourt Area office of NIWA, Alhaji Muaza Sambo said that the current Managing Director of NIWA, Chief George Moghalu has made the greatest impact of all the Managing  Directors that have served the Authority.

According to the Minister of Transportation, “Inland waterways as an alternative means of transporting economic goods and persons is key to the development of any country, especially when that country is endowed with water.  Nigeria is so blessed in the sense that you can assess 28 States by water. So you can imagine if we were able to develop these waterways; how logistics cost will come down, how goods we export out of Nigeria will be very competitive to other commodities across the world.

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“In these regard, I would like to encourage the Managing Director to quickly bring to fusion the project that we initiated in Lagos, where we identified the Marina Area Office of NIWA as a hub for Trans- Shipping Cargo from Lagos through the Intercostal routes of Warri, Onitsha and up to Baro. Whatever support you require to get this project to kick- off, I will give it to you even in the middle of the night.

“Also, please move as quickly as you can to ensure that you get this channel management  operationalised . If there are any issues from anybody at the headquarters, please let me know, Director, Legal Services please take note.

“For Onitsha Port, i am happy it has been concessioned. Lets monitor the Concessioner very well. We have to make sure also that they have a very capable technical partner who will increase the value of that port by modernising the cargo handling equipment there and other facilities and infrastructure that will make the movement of cargo seamless and worthy of all the efforts.

“Finally, I will like to thank the Managing Director of NIWA, Chief, Dr. Geroge Moghalu for not only giving me the opportunity to commission some of the boats that have been acquired by the Authority but also putting in place this very elaborate reception for me as a homeboy. I truly appreciate it.”