The Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), George Moghalu, says at least 65 per cent of cargo berthing in Nigeria end up in the South-East, especially in Onitsha and Aba.
He said this on Thursday while featuring at the 52nd session of the State House briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team.
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He said the current road network infrastructure could not withstand the volume of traffic required to move cargo from the South East to other parts of the country.
He said this prompted his agency to provide water inroads to the north.
He said despite talks of insecurity, the agency had commenced the hydrographic survey on Lake Chad to open it up as an inland water transportation hub to access other African countries.
Moghalu said the federal government was working on an agreement to secure technology for monitoring and securing the nation’s inland waterways from South Africa.
He said with the technology, the authority could monitor the movement of vessels anywhere in the waterways.
Moghalu said rock blasting would be done in Yauri to clear the waterways, adding that a 32-seater passenger ferry had been delivered to the area.
On Baro Port in Niger State, he said: “Government is concerned about the development in Baro. Contract has been signed to extend rail corridor to Baro apart from the road being constructed to the place.”
