Folashade Alli
MEMBERS of the Association of Marine Engineers and Surveyors (AMES) have raised alarm over the maintenance dredging of the Lower River Niger.
They also questioned the N43 billion budgetted for the execution of the contract which was awarded by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
The dredging of the Lower River Niger contract, which began in 2010, was awarded by NIWA to four contractors namely Fung Tai Engineering Company; Dredging International Services Nigeria Limited; Van Oord Nigeria Limited and Williams Lloyds Technical Company Limited at a sum of N43,334,712,332.10 and was expected to be completed by March, 2013.
The project, which was expected to facilitate all year navigability through major towns such as Warri, Onitsha, Agenebode, Idah, Jamata (Lokoja) and Baro, has been described as scandalous by the executives of AMES.
According to AMES President, Charles Uwadia, an engineer, “the volume of trade along such trade routes does not justify the money that has been spent on the so-called dredging. As far as we are concerned, it’s wastage of public funds as the activities there don’t tally with what has been spent.
“The maintenance dredging is not forthcoming and this will lead to continuous filling of the river bed which means reduction in the depth of the river. These are issues our leaders need to be looking into.”
Secretary-General of the association, Capt. Peter Onwordi, raised eyebrows on the validity of the dredging contract.
In his words: “Who supervised the Lower River Niger dredging? Where was the dredged sands dumped? Who has an accurate analysis of that channel?
“We have Lot 1, 2 down to Lot 5. As a marine surveyor, there is the need to first of all check the depth of the sand because only minimum of 6 metres and above can allow vessel passage; but in River Niger, I stand to be challenged, some lots are less than 1 metre. You can even walk across them. So, what has been dredged?
While reacting, NIWA spokesman, Mr. Tayo Fadile, revealed that the Lower River Niger contract is between the Ministry of Transport and the contractors that handled it.
“The River Niger contract is between the Ministry of Transport and the contractors. That question should be directed to the Ministry of Transport. However, we at NIWA are working hard to encourage the private sector to increase the usage of the dredged river.
“We have just finished the maintenance dredging of the Lower River Niger and already planning to commence the dredging of the River Benue,” he added.
It would be recalled that at the last Ministerial scorecard presented to President Goodluck Jonathan, the Lower River Niger dredging project was adjudged to be 90 per cent completed.
