In October 2020, the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) piloted the arrival of the first cargoes from Onne Port in Rivers State to the Onitsha River Port in Anambra State by barges.
The NIWA had said the ceremony marked the beginning of the frequent arrival of cargoes to the port to decongest the traffic caused by trucks lifting containers from Lagos ports by road.
During the groundbreaking ceremony, the Managing Director of NIWA, Dr. George Moghalu said, “The aim of the test-run is to break the jinx and encourage partnership with the Barge Operators Association.”
He also revealed that the port was capable of handling 1,000 containers at once, which would then be transported by road to their destinations, which are nearer than Apapa and Tin Can port in Lagos or the Onne port in Rivers.
Seven months after the celebrated arrival of cargoes by barges, no container has arrived at the Onitsha port, an investigation by Daily Trust on Sunday revealed.
Read More: https://dailytrust.com/onitsha-port-yet-to-function-7-months-after-commissioning
