Lagos-Onitsha Barge Operations will decongest Apapa seaport — Moghalu
By Seun Ibiyemi
The management of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has said that Lagos-Onitsha Barge Operations will decongest Apapa seaport, this even as the authority met with critical stakeholders to further fine-tune the ongoing efforts
The meeting according to the Managing Director of NIWA Dr. George Moghalu, was to review challenges that may stall the proposed inter-state movement of cargo via barges and ensure seamless movement.
He said decongestion of the ports and the roads using multimodal operations, and at the same time resuscitating Onitsha River Port as well as other inland ports, is the goal of the initiative.
Addressing the media after meeting with stakeholders, Moghalu stressed that “the desire is to put our inland waterways to active use as quickly as possible if we must decongest our roads, if we must save our infrastructure, if we must create new business opportunities.”
According to him, “A lot of people have applied but we are being very careful because we have standard operating manual which we strictly insist that you have to meet all the requirements, at the same time, we do not lose sight of the fact that NPA also licences barge operators so we try to synergise our operations so that standards cannot be compromised.
“We are looking at the basic logistics, the challenges we are going to have, even the ones we have now, we are surmounting them. We are addressing them and I can assure you that this will be cheaper than moving cargo by road.
“If we are able to move these 1000 containers by water to the South East, it means we have succeeded in moving 2000 trailers of the roads.”
He also disclosed that NIWA is collaborating with the Hadiza Bala Usman-led management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for the licensing of barges and to ensure seamless operation.
On the safety and security of the channels, Moghalu who said that the Agency is consulting with all stakeholders, necessary security agencies, as well as, the local communities needed for free flow of cargo from Lagos to Onitsha, stressed that the channels are okay and are currently used by Julius Berger for the movement of all the equipment needed for the construction of the second Niger Bridge.
The Managing Director restated the Agency’s unflinching commitment to the success of the proposed barge operation and thanked stakeholders for their unparalleled commitment.
Present at the meeting were representatives of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Importers Association, Barge Operations Association and the Management of NIWA.
