NIWA Facility tour Onitsha Inland Port
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Onitsha River Port “an untapped gold mine” – FG

THE Federal Government has described the Onitsha River Port as an untapped gold mine and a sub sector all efforts should be geared towards revitalizing to make it functional.

It also said that the port is unique and exceptional from others in the country because of its three levels that goods can be brought in, namely: lower, middle and top levels which also makes it a great and wonderful port. This was disclosed by the Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, Sen Olorunimbe Mamora, during his maiden visit to Onitsha Area office of NIWA.

Mamora who was accompanied to Onitsha by some senior officials of NIWA from Lokoja, Kogi State, during the visit also described the transportation aspect of the NIWA operations as humongous in terms of gains accrueable from its operation.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/fg-describes-onitsha-river-port-as-untapped-gold-mine/

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“I won’t go outside NIWA Act to take a stance on Lagos Waterways conflict” – Mamora

The new Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, has revealed that its face-off with the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) is down to revenue, and not on any other reason.

This is even as he vowed not to go outside the NIWA Act to settle the rift between the Federal Government agency and its Lagos State counterpart.

Speaking recently in Lagos to newsmen, Senator Olorunimbe Mamora explained that his administration would explore an out-of-court settlement in the face-off between the Federal agency and LASWA in order to bring a win-win situation for both parties.

In the past few years, both NIWA and LASWA have been in court over who should have control over Lagos waterways assets, issuing of permits to operators and collection of revenue.

According to the former senator, “We can achieve a lot through the indirect or informal, rather than formal processes. The tendency is that there may be too much bureaucracy. There are legal and constitutional issues, no doubt, and that is why the matter is in court, but you can choose to settle issues out of court.”

While disabusing insinuations that being a Lagos politician might allow LASWA gain a upper hand in the face-off, the NIWA MD added that, “I think it is the prerogative of Mr President to appoint people where he wants them to serve. The fact that I am from Lagos has generated a lot of interest on the issue between LASWA and the NIWA, a lot of people have made phone calls to me, accosted me to ask what I will do.

“However, I won’t go outside the NIWA Act to take a stance on the face-off with LASWA. I won’t do anything outside the NIWA Act while pursuing a peaceful resolution to the issue.”

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NIWA to settle control of Waterways conflict with Lagos out of court

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) on Monday expressed readiness to settle conflict with the Lagos State Government out-of-court in order to make way for an effect coastal operations.

The NIWA Managing Director, Mr Olorunibe Mamora, made the disclosure in Lagos.

There had been a protracted legal tussle between the Federal Government and Lagos Governments over which of them controls waterways in Lagos with huge economic potential.

“We are looking at the benefits of the sector in terms of transportation, tourism and sundry economic empowerment of the people, and not who wins at the court that is far from our aim.

“The dispute cannot continue for the common good; our country is blessed with navigable coastal line; there is need for us to explore such for the benefit of our people.

“If Nigeria should harness the potential in the coastal areas in the area of transportation for instance, there will be less pressure on our roads, and citizens interactions be promoted,’’ Mamora, a two-time Speaker at the Lagos Assembly, said.

According to him, there will be more effective inland waterways transport system nationwide if the NIWA Act before the National Assembly sails through.