NIWA to host international conference and exhibitions on navigation

National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) will be holding the second edition of her annual International Conference and Exhibitions (ICE) in Lagos.

L-R: Mr Tayo Fadile, GM Public Affairs, Engr Sambo Muazu,
Lagos Area Manager and Engr Olusegun Balogun,
NIWA GM, Marine with some newsmen
during a press conference in Lagos.

The Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Engr Sambo Muazu said that the conference which is scheduled to hold at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island in Lagos by 9 am on the 25^th July, 2017, has the theme, “Improving Navigability and Inland Port Development for Sustainable Investment on Nigerian Waterways”.

According to Sambo, the one day conference has five major components which include: technical paper presentations, book launch, unveiling of NIWA new equipment, exhibitions as well as a dinner night for the dignitaries.

Highlighting the topics lined up for the technical paper presentation session, the General Manager, Public Affairs of NIWA, Mr Tayo Fadile hinted that a notable international expert on inland water transportation, Mrs Ssrda Lgessevic, Head of Centre for Port Operations of the Serbian Port Governance Agency would speak on the lead paper entitled, “Imperatives for Enhancing Navigation and Inland Port Operations on Nigerian Waterways”.

Whereas Otunba Kunle Folarin, Chairman of Nigerian Ports Consultative Council will speak on the second paper entitled, “Driving the Benefits of Investment in Coastal and Inland Shipping Operations on Nigerian Waterways”.

In his own, the NIWA General Manager, Marine, Engr Olusegun Balogun explained what NIWA aimed to achieve through the conference.

He said, “By this event, NIWA intends to attract local and international investors to Nigerian waterways, create environment for networking amongst participants and also raise awareness about the untapped potential in Nigerian Inland water transportation”.

Balogun also revealed that the Authority has made provision to host about 500 participants in this year’s conference.

Recall that the maiden edition of the Conference was held in 2014 under Hajia Inuwa Ciroma as the Managing Director of NIWA and none has been held since then.

However, this year’s NIWA ICE has Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi, the Honourable Minister of Transportation as Guest of Honour, while Barr Boss Mustapha, the Managing Director of NIWA is the host.