The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has disclosed its plan to engage the services of Akewa Colmar Terminal Limited (ACTL) to move cargo from Lagos to Onitsha River Port, through Burutu port in Delta.

The Managing Director of NIWA, Dr George Moghalu said in a statement signed by Mr Jibril Darda’ u, NIWA’s General Manager, Corporate Affairs, and issued on Wednesday, that this was in an effort to make Onitsha River Port functional and to decongest Lagos Ports.

“The idea of hauling containers via Burutu Ports to Onitsha River port, is to deliberately avoid the two small bridges of Gbarekolo and Bumandi.

“This is because the two bridges are too tiny and shallow for sea moving badges or vessels to ply.

“That is why the company (ACTL) is considering the route from Lagos ports, to Burutu port then to Onitsha River port, as final destination,” he said.

Moghalu noted that NIWA was targeting the haulage of about 1,000 containers per trip from Lagos ports to Onitsha River port, within four days.

The MD also added that NIWA was engaging the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), and other stakeholders, to facilitate the commencement of the cargo haulage.

The Chairman of ACTL, Mr Kenneth Donye, told the management team of NIWA, while defending his company’s proposal at the NIWA Liaison Office, Abuja, of his company’s readiness to partner with NIWA in carrying out this “noble and historic transshipment” from Lagos ports, via Burutu port to Onitsha River port as final destination.