By Godfrey Bivbere

CALABAR— BUSINESS activities at the Calabar Area Office of the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, have been grounded for over one year now following construction work by the Cross River State Government, which has made the area office inaccessible to its workers and clients.

The construction work at Diamond Hill, Hope Waddel, opposite the Governor’s Office has led to the area office being flooded, following water diversion from the project.

NIWA Calabar Area Office Manager, Rufus Ogbonlato, said the excavation and removal of the top soil since May 2016 at the construction site had blocked the existing drainages.

He said the impact of the water and mud inflow into the office had denied NIWA staff and clients access to the office as sand had taken over the jetty, security post and damaged some portions of the fence while reducing the waterfront from 7.8 metres deep to about 2.5 – 3.5 metres, which is dangerous for maritime activities.

Also, General Manager, Corporate Affairs of NIWA, Tayo Fadile, in a statment, said several letters were written to Governor Ben Ayade, without a reply.

According to him, “The project as it is being carried out now is making life difficult for staff of NIWA and has made the Area office in Calabar inaccessible and the Cross River State Government should address this issue as quickly as possible to bring back normalcy.”

NIWA alleged that the contractor, Daiik Engineering, did not carry out Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA, which is contrary to the environmental impact Assessment, Decree No. 86 of 1992.