The Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), George Moghalu, has said 65 per cent of imported containers end up in Anambra and Abia states. Moghalu said the first challenge he faced when he assumed duties in 2019 was the low morale of the members of staff. He made this disclosure yesterday at a weekly briefing organised by the Presidential Communication Team at the Presidential Villa.

The NIWA chief added that the revenue base of the agency has continued to grow despite the challenges even during COVID-19. Moghalu, while providing updates on the agency’s activities, noted that the current road network infrastructure could not withstand the volume of traffic required moving car goes from the southeast to other parts of the country.

This, he said, necessitated recent efforts by NIWA to provide water inroads to the north stressing that water transportation would help in reducing the weight of the heavy duty traffic on the roads and also generate revenue for the country. Asked to mention the challenges facing the agency, Moghalu said that contrary to expectations, funding was not his primary concern but the low morale among his members of staff. According to him, he met an agency whose activities were under-reported with many unaware of its core statutory responsibilities.

He, however, said he was able to overcome the low morale of the staff with their training and re-training and by creating awareness on the mandate of the agency. He said with the necessary awareness created, the agency began to increase its revenue base with the concession of more ports and their patronages by business men across the country. Stressing that everything had been put in place for the movement of cargoes in Onitsha Port, Moghalu also said that work had commenced at the Oguta River Port which he said was abandoned for 13 years, adding that perimeter fence has been erected at the place and the port now segmented. (New Telegraph)