The Federal Government has revealed that 28 out of the 36 Nigerian states have navigable waterways. As a result, the government is actively considering water transportation as a means to alleviate the strain on roads.
Bola Oyebamiji, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), emphasized that with proper management, nearly three-quarters of the states in the federation can be utilized for water transportation, potentially becoming a significant contributor to the nation’s GDP.
He pointed out that in a period where Nigerians are grappling with high transportation costs, maximizing water transportation would be highly beneficial for the general populace.
Get Instantly Update By: Joining Our Whatapps and Telegram Channel
Oyebamiji stated, “We will ensure that our waterways are efficiently managed so that we can add value to our GDP. Apart from transportation, there are a lot of benefits in our water systems that we can tap into. We are going to ensure that we add value to our waterways.”
Regarding the economic policies of the Federal Government, Oyebamiji acknowledged that while they may seem stringent, they are in the best interest of the country’s economic growth. He urged Nigerians to endure a little longer for the dividends of President Bola Tinubu’s tough decisions to materialize.
“The economic reforms introduced by the President are the best. Nigerians have forgotten that the challenges have been existing in the country for a very long time. Since we took over from the British, we have not gotten our economic policies right, this is the only time that we have gotten them right. If you look back, we have a lot of challenges and to correct it, it will take time. The suffering might be big now but I am very sure that our people will laugh last,” he concluded.