Why Efforts to Dredge Nigerian Waterways Has Failed - Mamora

By Dapo Olawuni

Managing Director of Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Dr. Olorunimbe Mamora has said that efforts taken to dredge Nigerian Waterways has failed because of the collapse of supporting port infrastructures.

Mamora also noted that Nigerian inland waterways system has been largely underfunded, adding that this has made the utilisation of the nations inland waterways difficult.

The NIWA boss lamented that for too long, Nigerian economy has been dependent on oil and its derivatives.
He added that agricultural produce have been mostly landlocked, whilst the vast mineral resources have remained majorly untapped until lately when attention is being paid to Solid Minerals.

“It will be recalled that in the past, efforts were made to dredge our Inland Waterways, such efforts had not been far reaching enough as other necessary infrastructure that will open up the vast Inland Waterways have been neglected”

“Our Inland Waterways system is underfunded hence we are denied the benefits of the potentials offered unlike a number of developed nations that have utilised their Inland Waterways as the mainstay for their industrialisation and economic prowess”

Mamora stated this in his speech during the signing of a tripartite agreement with Sealink and Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM) at the weekend.

“Today is a major milestone in the development of the maritime infrastructure that is necessary to ensure full integration of the potentials of Nigeria’s resources in our economy”

“The event of today marks another major step in the journey to reverse the dependence of our economy on oil and to open up the vast untapped opportunities that the Inland Waterways can offer”

“The realisation of Inland Waterway Transportation will not only ensure safer roads but will ensure that the huge sums of money spent on road maintenance can be diverted to other areas of needs including health, education and job creation”

‘NIWA’s endorsement of this Memorandum of understanding with Nexim Bank and Sealink Consortium is an eloquent testimony of the viability of the Inland Waterway transportation network in Nigeria”

“We will work with these 2 great partners to ensure that the full potential of our economy is realised by harnessing the untapped Waterway resources that will add to our GDP in no small measure”

“I would like to thank the management of Sealink and Nexim Bank for their vision and confidence in the Inland Waterway Transportation.
I look forward with excitement to the success of this noble initiative” he said