The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) under the current Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. George Moghalu, has described the successful concessioning of Onitsha River port as one of the major achievements under his administration.
Moghalu stated this in a statement made available to newsmen by Jibril Darda’u, General Manager, Corporate Affairs, of NIWA.
According to the agency’s boss, “Another milestone achievement is the successful concessioning of Onitsha River port, which it stated was built in the Second Republic during the Administration of Alh. Shehu Shagari and laid dormant until during the Jonathan’s Administration when it was rehabilitated and commissioned without putting it into use.”
He also explained that NIWA, under his watch, increased the revenue generation of the agency from N1 billion to N11 billion since the administration of the incumbent
The statement further stated that with the efforts of George Moghalu as MD of NIWA, he was able to break the Jinx, successfully complete the concessionning process, and hand over the port to Elysium Consortium Limited, which is now in operation and yielding economic value to the nation.
“A very important high point of Moghalu’s Administration has been the resuscitation of projects that had been in limbo for decades. This includes Lokoja River port, Oguta River port, Construction of jetties, and refurbishing of old ones for the benefit of Nigerians.
On the efforts on waterways safety, the release stated that since Moghalu’s administration, relentless efforts have been made at sensitising boat operators and passengers, training of boat operators in Port-Harcourt, Warri and Lagos, and that the programme is continuing in other states and enforcing all safety protocols.
“Free distribution of Life Jackets to boat Associations, recruiting water marshals to enforce our safety guidelines, search and rescue stations in Eleven (11) locations and the procurement of patrol boats.
“For avoidance of doubts and in order to enlighten the General Public on the Landmark achievements recorded under George Moghalu.
He highlighted that his four years in office, the agency carried out numerous trainings, constituted jetties in Anambra, Bayelsa, and Lagos, prosecuted offenders, commissioning of ferries, among others feats.
The MD was said to have also engaged stakeholders to invest in the sector