• Generates N1.66 billion In 2012
The National Inland Waterways Authourity (NIWA) has lamented the slow pace of work at the Lokoja River port in Kogi state, even as it announced that a whooping
N4.3 billion has been estimated for the project.
The parastatal under the Ministry of transport has also announced that it generated
N1.66 billion in 2012 into the federal government coffers.
Addressing Journalists in Lagos on Tuesday, the newly appointed Managing Director, NIWA
• Generates N1.66 billion In 2012
The National Inland Waterways Authourity (NIWA) has lamented the slow pace of work at the Lokoja River port in Kogi state, even as it announced that a whooping
N4.3 billion has been estimated for the project.
The parastatal under the Ministry of transport has also announced that it generated
N1.66 billion in 2012 into the federal government coffers.
Addressing Journalists in Lagos on Tuesday, the newly appointed Managing Director, NIWA
,Hajia Maryam Ciroma said that talks are on-going with the contractors handling the Lokoja river port for it to be hastened, even as she lamented that the pace of work is slow.
"The contract to the Lokoja river port is N4.3 billion and I was at the Lokoja River port, last week to see how far, work is in progress and we have to meet with the contractors because the pace at which the work is going on there, I am not very happy with it", she lamented.
“I am not happy with the pace of work with the Lokoja River because it is supposed to connect the Onitsha port and up to Baro port, so the progress of work in there I am not very happy with it and I intend to see the contractor to see how we can ginger them up, sit up and do their work”, she added.
She further added that, "once you are given a job, you also given a completion period ,you will be mobilized, the work is not going on at the pace I liked, but the work is in progress".
Ciroma also disclosed that the parastatal generated a whooping sum of N1.66 billion in 2012, through dues payable for the usage of its facilities and right of ways to the government purse.
She said that even though NIWA generates income for the government, the profile is not enough and that the authority is seeking to expand its revenue base.
The NIWA boss also noted that the authority allocated some portion of the revenue to the NIWA police command to help assist area offices in order to collect debts from those that uses its facilities which she said, is a major challenge of the agency.
Apart from the authority police command that patrol the inland waterways for the purpose of safety and security, Hajia Ciroma explained that other maritime agencies of the government are working in synergy to provide protection from the high seas down to the inland waterways.
According to her, government is coming up with modern mechanisms to improve safety on the waterways of the country.
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