The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has earmarked N850 million for the removal of wrecks, clearing of water hyacinths, floating debris, and other materials from Nigeria’s inland waterways in its 2025 budget appropriation.

This allocation forms part of a broader capital expenditure plan of N22.99 billion aimed at improving navigability, safety, and environmental sustainability of the country’s waterways.

A breakdown of the budgetary provisions shows that N300 million has been designated for the removal of wrecks within inland waterways across the South-East, South-West, and South-South geopolitical zones. Additionally, N550 million has been allocated for the mechanical/manual clearing of water hyacinths, floating debris, and waste materials from inland waterways covering Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

Beyond wreck removal and environmental cleanup, NIWA’s 2025 budget covered several key projects to enhance inland water transport, ensure safety, and expand operational capacity. A significant N2.65 billion has been budgeted for the partial dredging of 1,000 kilometers of navigable inland waterways, expected to facilitate smoother navigation and improve trade along river routes.

To enhance survey operations, N100 million is allocated for the purchase of geoinformatics equipment, while N200 million is earmarked for the digitization of NIWA’s operations. The budget also includes N350 million for acquiring security and revenue patrol boats, alongside N14.73 billion for the purchase of barges and vessels, signaling NIWA’s commitment to boosting inland water transport.

In further efforts to enhance waterway operations, N100 million will be invested in a hydrographic survey covering inland waterways from Iwopin through the Third Mainland Bridge to Badagry in Lagos State, with an additional N150 million set aside for research and development initiatives.

To support cargo movement, NIWA has allocated N700 million for constructing an inland river port and cargo handling equipment at Lokoja, while another N120 million is planned for an inland river port at Oguta, Imo State.

To improve monitoring and evaluation, the agency has proposed N99 million for acquiring relevant equipment, and N150 million has been allocated for establishing water level gauges to monitor sediment flow at 12 prioritised locations nationwide

Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).