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From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Nigerian Navy, Thursday unveiled a navigational chart for the lower river Niger locally produced by its hydrographers.
The navy listed 81 under water features that may be dangerous to mariners in the navigational chart which runs from Jamata through Lokoja in kogi state and Burutu in Delta state.
In his address at the unveiling ceremony, the Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, while noting that the chart is crucial towards exploiting the vast strategic reserves of mineral resources along the Lower Niger Basin with great prospects for Nigeria’s economic diversification, said the development would also boost tourism, create job opportunities and increase economic viability.
He said the chart would also reduce pressure on road infrastructure, as bulk cargos would be transported through the channel.
According to the CNS, the “successful opening of this River Channel for navigation will accelerate activation of concessioned inland ports and export processing zones for handling bulk cargoes from coastal areas and export of solid minerals as well as agricultural produce
He said “Although, this is a preliminary step towards opening the Lower River Niger, I would like to assure this audience that the Nigerian Navy is willing to sustain partnership with NEXIM Bank, Sealink Consortium and the National Inland Waterways Authority including other critical stakeholders under this collaborative initiative to complete development of the river channel towards creating vibrant maritime activities along the Lower River Niger basin.
Continuing, Admiral Gambo, said ” I want to also assure that the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Survey Department, having recently acquired state-of-the-art survey platforms and equipment, is poised to provide standard hydrographic service delivery to all mariners within the Nation’s maritime environment towards facilitating sustainable blue economy in Nigeria”.
Also speaking, The Nigerian Navy Hydrographer, Rear Admiral Okafor, while noting that the chart was developed with one hundred percent local capacity covering a distance of 456 km (246 nm) from Jamata,Lokoja to Burutu, identified 81 under water obstructions which he said could pose danger to mariners.
To overcome these underwater obstruction, Okafor, called for dredging,canalisation,installation of appropriate aids to navigation among others equipments to facilitate both day and night navigation by wide range of vessels.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Managing Director / Chief Executive, Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) Abba Bello said the River Niger and Benue were considered by the British merchants as the most navigable river channels used, hence their use in the late 19th century, where Burutu port served as a link between river transport and the sea.
He stated that the indigenous survey and production of paper and electronic charts to ensure navigational safety of lower river Niger channel will go a long way to boost trade.
He said “Historically, the River Niger and Benue were considered by the British merchants as the most navigable river channels used, hence their use in the late 19th century, where Burutu port served as a link between river transport and the sea. It served as a port terminal for Royal Niger Company and UAC for export cargo consolidation and discharging of goods from ships for onward water transport to river ports in Northern Nigeria and neighboring French territories through rivers Niger and Benue.
“The cessation of the use of the Burutu port in mid-1970s substantially led to considerable level of disuse of the river channel for mercantile trade, leading to siltation of the channel over the years that resulted in navigational challenges. Therefore, this informed the decision to partner with Afreximbank, Nigerian Navy and NIWA to undertake the survey / charting exercise”.
He said the chart would among others provide a guide on the current state of navigability of the river channel which would be catalytic to ensuring the design of a framework that would enable channel improvement works necessary to facilitate the commencement of massive commercial operations on the channel, especially for Regional Sealink Project
He further stated that “Also, information provided from the outcome of the survey / charting activities will highlight the huge inland waterways potentials and opportunities in maritime infrastructure investments”
He said NEXIM being a trade policy bank embarked on the deliberate policy initiative to bridge maritime infrastructure towards lowering logistics cost to foster trade with the promotion of the Regional Sealink Project.
In his goodwill message, the President African Export Import (AFREXIMBANK) Prof Benedict Oramah represented by the Manager Trade Finance, Anglophone West Africa Mr Remmy Nwachukwu, said the bank provided $360,000, for the execution of the project the charting of the lower River Niger signals the take-off whistle for commencement of active maritime activities on this great river that traverses this great country – Nigeria.
He said the unveiling marks the beginning of new life to the economies of various communities along the lower river Niger as access to markets for their agricultural commodities will receive a boost as they get evacuated to markets in need and on time too.
“The lifespan of the road network will get elongated as more of the inland cargo get moved through, he said
He said Afreximbank has made cumulative disbursements of up to USD36 billion in Nigeria since inception with around USD4 billion in current exposure.
“Afreximbank is proud to have played a significant part in making the Charting possible. We provided a grant of USD350,000 for this exercise because of the critical role we know that navigability of the river Niger will play in the country’s trade facilitation and indeed overall developmental aspirations”.
He called on the government to smoothen and quicken vessel flow on the river through dredging of the channel as well as the task of providing suitable vessels to begin the job of evacuating agricultural commodities and solid minerals from the hinterlands.
Also speaking, the Managing Director National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Dr George Moghalu, who said the successful completion of the project represents a major milestone in the history of the development of Inland Water Transportation in Nigeria, reinstated the commitment of the federal government to provide an enabling environment for the private sector Participation in the development of the Inland Waterways Transportation (IWT) sector, adding that the Authority has just concluded the installation of marine navigational buoys from the Onitsha River Port to the Bifurcation on the River Niger as part of efforts to ensuring adequate provision of navigational aid on the Waterways.
“The Authority has also installed Permanent Electronic Gauge Stations at several locations along the Lower River Niger and is also executing several other projects on Inland waterways nationwide especially on the Lower River Niger to ensure all year-round navigation”.
