How NIWA Will End Apapa Gridlock - Moghalu

Watch Managing Director of NIWA, Chief Goerge Moghalu, speak on efforts to move cargo from Lagos ports to Onitsha by barges

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) is set to end the Apapa gridlock as it set to move 1000 containers from Lagos Ports to Onitsha River Port to help de-congest activities at the Port corridor. 

The NIWA boss made this known last week after a crucial stakeholders meeting held in Lagos. He said that the desire to put our waters into use is a thing that must be done if we must de-congest Lagos ports.

The Managing Director of NIWA Chief Dr. George Moghalu explained that NIWA is targeting about 1,000 containers to be hauled per trip from Lagos Ports to Onitsha River Port within the maximum duration of 4 days.

Also, the Managing Director noted that Nigerian roads are not meant for the kind of heavy traffic they are currently subjected to and added that NIWA is engaging the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and other stakeholders to facilitate the commencement of the Cargo haulage.

Moghalu during his briefing with newsmen applauded the managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman, for her encouragement, saying that apart from licensing of the barges, the NPA will have to register the barges.

Meanwhile, the NIWA boss argued that “If we are able to move these 1000 containers by water to the Southeast, it means we have succeeded in moving 2000 trailers of the roads”, Moghalu remarked.

Moghalu noted that solutions to challenges that may be encountered are been looked into and reassures that the channels were okay, saying that people are unnecessarily creating fears. He explained that it was the same water that Julius Berger uses to move down all the equipment they use to build at Onitsha river.

He also reassured the all issues of challenge were being taking care of and pledged to do everything possible to succeed, adding that all the relevant stakeholders had been adequately consulted and were part of the meeting. Recall that the management of NIWA had in a statement last week made public its intention to move 1000 containers from Lagos to Onitsha river port.

Recall that NIWA in an official statement articulated the practical modalities involved in the new initiative. It also mentioned the third-party companies it would work with during the operation.

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

“Because the two bridges are too tiny and shallow for sea moving badges or vessels to ply through, that is why the company (ACTL) is considering the route from Lagos ports to Burutu Port then to Onitsha River Port as the final destination,” the statement added.

Maritime and shipping stakeholders have hailed the initiative by the National Inland Waterways Authority, as it is believed to be the first conscious and noble effort at reducing the protracted gridlock at the Sea Ports in Lagos.

However, South-easterners who are into importation and who visibly feel marginalized by subjecting them to use of congested Lagos- Onitsha roads are said to be already heaving a sigh of relief with the ongoing initiative of the management of NIWA.