Waterways Safety: NIWA cleanup exercises of jetties commences in Warri to enhance navigation 

From Ben Dunno, Warri

In line with its  core mandate to ensure an hygienic and safe environment for commercial boat passengers along its right of waterways, the management and staff of the Warri Area Office of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), has commenced cleaning-up exercise of some major jetties within the commercial city.

The exercise which commenced from Tuesday, December 9, 2025 to Monday, January 12, 2026, saw three (3) major jetties including; Pessu Waterside, Main Market and Ugbuwangue jetties wearing a new look, as all the aquatic weeds, common water hyacinth, floating nylons, plastics and drinking cans as well as refuse dumps were cleared.

Speaking during the exercise, the Warri Area Manager, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Engr Rufus Oladimeji, said the exercise was part of NIWA’s ongoing efforts to ensure safe navigation aimed at sustaining inland water transport in the country.

According to him; “Due to the importance attached to this ongoing cleanup, we have been directed to sustain the exercise until the waterways are fully desilted and made navigable to boat operators plying these routes for the safety of their passengers”.

While disclosing that the management had made a commitment towards the desilting of the Pessu waterways, Engr Oladimeji noted that “Water hyacinth, an invasive aquatic weed, has been a recurring issue in Nigerian waterways, disrupting navigation, fishing, and local livelihoods”.

Reacting to the ongoing cleanup exercise, boat passengers at Ugbuwangue have applauded the management and staff of NIWA Warri office for taking it upon themselves to commence the cleanup exercise and called on the federal government to ensure the sustenance of the operations for the safety of commercial transport passengers across the country.

Meanwhile the Operators of Pessu waterways in Warri South Council area, have commends the efforts of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Hon. Adegboyega Oyetola, for his reassurance to embark on the desilting of the Pessu waterways, describing it as as long overdue in opening up the commercial activities of Warri and its environs.

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Caption; The Cleaning up exercise of the popular Pessu Waterways by management and staff National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) to a secured waterways operations.