The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has lamented that the potentials in inland waterways are still grossly under-utilised, even as it has vowed to come up with a roadmap on how the public and private sector can key into the sector and harness the potential earnings.
Managing Director of NIWA, Mr. Gus Mustapha disclosed this in Lagos on Monday at the celebration of the 2016 African Day of the Seas and Oceans organised by Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Mustapha who was represented by the Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Mr. Sambo Mu'azu, said in a goodwill message that as Nigeria is battling economic recession due to dwindling revenue from oil, there is need to diversify the income base of the fledging economy by focusing attention on maritime.
He said that NIWA had between 2009 and 2013 been overseeing the capital and maintenance dredging of the River Niger from Warri in Delta State to Baro in Niger State.
He said with the seaports in Warri and Port Harcourt, river ports in Onitsha, Oguta, Lokoja and Baro, the environment is ripe for the private sector to key into the maritime subsector of the economy, providing the critical link to domestic and international trade.
He said this would generate huge revenues for government and investors alike, in addition to the promotion of trade and commerce, job opportunities and employment creation, institutional development and the promotion of the tourism and leisure industry.
Mr. Gus Mustapha also assured that NIWA intends to bring together all critical stakeholders to discuss, analyse and put together a sustainable roadmap for the speedy synthesis of the inland waterways sub sector.
He said the agency has a vision to unleash the trajectory of the huge potentials of the maritime and transport sector to the economy of Nigeria.
"I share the sentiments of those who hold the view that earnings from the maritime sector, of which inland waterways is a key component, can compete favourably with revenues derived by Nigeria from oil exports"
"However, these potential earnings will not fall like manna from the skies, we have to work for it and there is so much to be done by all of us"
"One key answer lies with the maritime sector, NIWA under my stewardship intends to quickly gather stakeholders together to brainstorm and come up with a roadmap on how to generate revenue from the inland waterways" he said
Mustapha argued that water transport is the safest, most environmentally friendly and the cheapest means of carrying large cargoes.
According to him, a single 15-barge tow of cargo on water would require 225 railroad cars or 870 road trucks to transport same.
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