By GODFREY BIVBERE

As a means of easing the nation’s reliance on road transportation, the federal government has commenced moved to exploit the verse potential of water transportation in the country.

Government has put in place a committee to look at the challenges, potentials and work out modalities for partnering with the private sector to achieve effective use of that sector of transportation.

Speaking on behalf of government in Abuja over the weekend, Minister of Transport, Senator Idris A. Umar said government intention is to develop the nation’s inland water transport system into a cheaper, safer, more efficient and seamless mode of international standard that provides alternative and complimentary services to other modes of transportation in Nigeria.

Umar who disclosed this at the inauguration the Committee for the Development of Inland Water Transport System in Nigeria, charged the committee to among others: provide historical background of Inland Water Transport (IWT) in Nigeria, identify all navigable rivers and creeks in Nigeria including their roles and potentials for IWT and prioritize the rivers/creeks for revitalization based on their economic viability.

He also charged that committee to identify factors inhibiting sustainable IWT in Nigeria and proffer solutions for them, carry out visitation to the communities engaged in Inland Waterways Transportation with a view to identifying the challenges faced by those communities, and proffer measures of mitigating them, identify the ingredients for eliciting private sector-led participation in IWT in Nigeria and recommend how best to utilize the river channels/creeks for maximum economic benefits of the nation.

A press statement signed by Abiodun Oladunjoye, Assistant Director Press and Public Relations in the Ministry, stated that the committee inaugurated by the minister has Mohammed Nagogo, the Director of Maritime Services in the Ministry as chairman.

However, Uchu Block, National Secretary of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) who welcomed the idea, said government most speed up the process of actualization of the use of water transportation in the country.

Block noted that the development of the sector will greatly improve transportation system in the country and reduce the reliance on road transport.

Similarly, Goddy Oghenejeakpor, Managing Director of Tentpeg Communications Network Ltd, a maritime communication outfit, expressed reservation on the issue and called on government to give Nigerians a reason to truth them.

Oghenejeakpor called on government to begin from the major cities in the country that are linked by the waterways as a means of reducing the chaotic traffic situation currently witnessed in most of these cities.