Onitsha River Port makes history, receives light cargo barges with containers

The Onitsha River Port has made history, when light cargo barges with containers berthed on it, drawing excitement among the residents of the town who are mainly importers and exporters after forty two years when the idea was muted.

The National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, said that it was to test run the activities in the port.

The excitement of the residents is due to the fact that when the port fully comes on stream, they would not have to travel to Lagos to clear their goods as that would be done in Onitsha.

Gentechnews.com.ng gathered that work on the Onitsha River Port project was initiated during the administration of former President Shehu Shagari in 1983 and has been laying fallow due mainly to politicization from one administration to another.

It was also learnt that it was rehabilitated and commissioned by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012, yet no activities took place at the port.

However, one of the drawbacks on the port has been attributed to the shallowness of the River Niger, which could not allow ships to berth at Onitsha.

So, current administration has put paid to this 42 years Onitsha River Port white elephant project by injecting life into it as the commercial town of Onitsha witnessed the berthing of ships which came from Onne Port in Rivers State. The Managing Director of NIWA, Chief George Moghalu supervised the exercise and received the barges as well as the containers at the port.

NIWA boss described the berthing of the barges as a “milestone that will have direct impact on the economy of the Southeast geopolitical zone”, as cost of transportation of goods and services will significantly be reduced.

Moghalu said: “The aim of the test run is to break the jinx and encourage partnership with the Barge Operators Association and to assure them that it is possible to move containers from Onne to Onitsha by water successfully and from Onitsha back to Onne.

“This is the first phase of the test run and the second phase will be from Lagos Ports to Onitsha River Port and from Onitsha to Lagos. “NIWA is giving an exemplary leadership to all investors that move goods on the waterways, which is economically viable and safe. So we want investors to key into the programme to be able to benefit from the potentials of water transportation.

“This is part of my commitment since assumption of duty as Managing Director of NIWA. My aim is to ensure that the Onitsha Port becomes fully functional after 42 years of the commencement of its construction and the subsequent commissioning in 2012.

“The exercise that took place at the Port was part of preparation for the full official operation of the Onitsha River Port which will commence by first quarter of 2021.

“There is no doubt that the full operation of the River Port will boost economic activities in Anambra State and South East in general, create jobs and wealth for our teaming youths, reduce the usual bottle neck in clearing goods and save money wasted in transporting containers from different ports in the country to the South East. It will also decongest our ports in Lagos and reduce the pressure on our roads.”

The Area Manager of NIWA, Onitsha River Port Complex, Mrs. Queen Uba, said that she was optimistic that the full operation of the Onitsha River Port would be achieved, adding that the full operation was being put on hold due to the ongoing process to concession of the port. “While we were waiting for completion of the concession arrangement, the management entered into agreement with Connect Rail Services Limited to kick start the lifting of goods from the Port to other parts of the county”, Uba said.

Meanwhile, experts opined that for a ship to arrive and berth in Onitsha there is need to properly dredge the river from the Atlantic ocean to Onitsha and other inland river ports.

Gentechnews.com.ng further gathered that full operations at the port are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2021.