No port would be abandon, as Markurdi port underway - NIWA MD

The Managing Director Nigeria Inland Water Authoriy, Hajia Inna Maryam Ciroma has said that no port under construction by the Authority would be abandoned.

The Managing Director who stated this in Lokoja during an interaction with the journalists said the contract for the construction of Makurdi port on the river Benue would soon be awarded .

"Completion of all the ports on the river Niger is top priority of authority. Onitsha port has been completed while there is  significant work  on the Lokoja port because the contractor has increase the speed of work, Oguta and Baron ports are of significant interest to us and we are trying to see how we can help the contractors to speed the work there," she said 

She said the Lokoja port would be completed on schedule, saying that it is only when ports are working that activities on the waterways that will boost the economy would take place.

According to her, the Onitsha port that has been completed and would be run under Public Private Partnership bases, saying that they are already working with the World Bank to work out the modalities on the concessioning which she said would be applicable to other ports.

On water transportation, She said "We are still test running the water transportation and since we don't have  fund to operate it, we have reach out to private sector who have submitted proposal to commence water transportation. We are working on it and would soon come out with it," he said.

She added that the authority would embark on serious advocacy to sensitize the people, especially onitsha traders and companies on the need to use the waterways so as to reduce pressure and reduce accident on the road.