FG Ensuring Sea Safety, Inaugurates Vessels in Rivers

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

To ensure the safety of waterways and smooth movement in the sea, the Ministry of Transportation yesterday inaugurated newly acquired vessels of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Speaking at the inauguration, the Minister of State for Transportation, Senator Gemisola Saraki, urged NIWA to ensure it harnesses the great maritime potential properly, saying a country such as Nigeria with over 10,000 kilometres inland waterways is a blessed country.

She noted that the Inland waterway is verifiably the cheapest and safest mode of transportation which equally plays a critical role in the multi-modal transportation.

Represented by the Managing Director of NIWA, Dr. George Moghalu, Saraki stressed that the vessels and other launched boats would aid in the security of waterways

She stated that waterways must be dredged to achieve the required draft, adequate survey, mapping and charting with marker buoys and signal put in place with every necessary step taken to ensure safe navigation.

According to Saraki, “A country blessed with more than 10,000 kilometres of inland waterways is certainly a nation with great maritime potential if such natural endowment is properly harnessed.

“Inland waterway is verifiably the cheapest and safest mode of transportation.

“It is, therefore, compelling that waterways must be dredged to achieve the required draft, adequate survey, mapping and charting with marker buoys and signage put in place as well as every necessary step taken to ensure safe navigation.

“The two patrol boats and some of the authority vessels provide security on the waterways. What is more gratifying is the fact that the craft being inaugurated today were built in the country by Nigerians.”

Earlier in his address, Moghalu, represented by the General Manager, Maritime Service, Mr. Joseph Ororo, reiterated that the huge opportunities that abound within the National Inland Waterways can only be maximised in an atmosphere of a strong regulatory framework.

According to Moghalu, “The narrative that out of over 10,000 kilometres of inland waterways only about 3,000 is navigable all year is not complimentary,” noting that 28 of the 36 states of the country can be accessed by water.”