The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has awarded six contracts worth N9 billion, three out of which are dredging contracts, for dredging of the River Niger.
After the full dredging of the river and the channels was completed two years ago, new contracts were awarded for the same works. According to Leadership , Mr. Tayo Fadile , the agency’s spokesman, said that these contracts are only for maintenance purposes, confirming that the main dredging of this area has been successfully accomplished two years earlier.
Allegations that the previous dredging project worth N36 billion was not done properly, appeared after the new contracts were awarded.
Fadile states: “ Capital dredging of the Niger has been done. What we are doing now is maintenance dredging. In fact this is the second phase of the maintenance dredging exercise. The first was done last year. The minister of transport accompanied us by boat and saw that the channels are okay. If we are building a jetty or a river port, that of course is not dredging ”.
The construction of a new river port in Lokoja, worth N4.1 billion; the dredging of the channel along Orashi River from Oguta Lake in Imo State to Degema in Rivers State, worth N2.03 billion; and the construction of Okrika jetty worth N438 million, are all included in the new contracts and are due be completed within nine months.
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Dredging Today Staff, April 4, 2012;