Challenges of Inland Waterways Transportation Along Calabar- Oron Water Route

Challenges of Inland Waterways Transportation Along Calabar- Oron Water Route

Chapter One

Objectives of the Study

The study aims to evaluate the challenges of inland waterway development in Nigeria. Specifically, we set the following objectives:

To evaluate the extent of Government commitment to the development of inland water transport in Nigeria
To determine the extent of implementation of inland water policies by NIWA
To establish the extent to which ferries/boats are employed in water transport in the study
To determine the impact of NIWA activities on ferry operations in the study
To ascertain the extent of the impact of the activities of NIWA on the inhabitants in the study
To ascertain if there are significant differences in the extent of implementation of inland water policies by the NIWA management among the various jetties or ports sampled for the study

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

History of Inland Water Transport Development in Nigeria.

Inland Water Transportation in Nigeria could be said to be as old as road transportation system. The reason being that riverine communities relied upon IWT as much as hinterland communities relied upon roads. So as a means of transportation, it served all the purposes associated with connectivity, trade and travels. Consequentially, means of transportation such as logs and canoes were developed. The use of these means also included the purposes of warfare and entertainment. Major pre-colonial inter-cultural contacts were established and conducted through rivers. The advent of colonialism introduced initial changes. Initially, it served the purpose of penetration for both missionaries and exploiters. The introduction of mechanized boats extinguished the cultural technology that was still at the wooden stage. As long as the exploitation lasted, the major rivers were fully utilized. Aside using the rivers in its natural state, no further developments were contemplated by the colonialists.

However, all the major rivers especially the Niger, Benue, rivers and creeks in the Niger Delta and coastal areas, and a few others served all the purposed at the time.

At the early state of imperialistic adventurism in the territory that later became Nigeria, British companies were operating on the Niger Valley, and carrying commercial cargo up to the Delta Rivers and places up to 1,000 km inland (NIWA Newsletter, No. 8,2006). During the era of colonialism, these companies notably Royal Niger Company, John Holt and Leventis Technical Limited, that later merged to become the United African Company (UAC), established River Stations at Akassa, Aboh, Andoni, Owerrinta, Onitsha, Idah, Lokoja, Markurdi, Ibi Warri, Sapele, lagos etc. They transformed into major transshipment stations and later became prominent and important trading posts.

Historical accounts also reveal that aside the colonial era; economic interests have attempted the revitalization of navigation on the Rivers Niger and Benue. In the period up to 1970, these three companies dominated transportation in the inland waterways sector (Ogboye, 2012):

Niger River Transport Company (NRTC) with its base at Burutu
Holts Transport (HT) based in Warri
Niger Basin Transport Company (NBTC) based in

Operationally, the indigenous company, Niger Basin Transport Company (NBTC), tried unsuccessfully to operate profitably shipping ventures downstream of the Niger. The company was said to have expanded and modernized its fleet increasing capacity to about 220,000 tons per annum.

Another major development in IWT in Nigeria in the seventies was the incorporation of the Central Water Transportation Company (CWTC) in July 1971 by the then six states: North Eastern State, Benue – Plateau State, East – Central State, Kwara State and North Western State. The common attribute among these states was being riparian to the Niger – Benue waterways system (Orode, 2010).

However, the CWTC operated at a deficit for most of the years and in July, 1976, based on the application of a joint venture, the company was taken over by the Federal Government. The take-over could still not ensure the survival of the company because of the obvious inherent systemic distortions.

The operations of CWTC were constrained principally by the following factors, (Transport monitor, November 2002):

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Inadequate complement of tugs and barges, both in number and The small capital base of the company did not allow for purchase of more crafts;
Restricted period of commercial navigation on the rivers as a result of poor The problem of seasonal non-navigability of the Niger and Benue rivers militated seriously against the profitability/effectiveness of the company;

Lack of patronage by government agencies;
Joint venture by the six participating states did not make for a streamlined organization with smooth responsive management;
The nation’s IWT network gave access to the Western explorers and the British, Ominu and Onokerhoreye (1995) argue correctly that: “Before the advent of the railway era in Eastern Nigeria, the only communication line which was used for inter-regional movement was the Niger-Benue water ways or Cross River”.

CHAPTER THREE

RESARCH METHODOLOGY

Population of the Study

This study was conducted in the following states mentioned above. All the jetties and inland water ports found in the area constituted the study population.

Sample and Sampling Procedure for the Study:

Multi stage sampling would be employed in the following ways; all the three states that constituted the population would also form the sample size, bearing in mind to represent major inland water itineraries in the country. Secondly, three NIWA offices or jetties would be sampled from the three states ten; one NIWA office from each state. Ten senior personnel of NIWA will be selected from each sampled office state; resulting to 30 sampled NIWA employees per each sampled state. Thirdly, in each port or jetty, 20 ferry operators would be randomly selected, resulting to 60 ferry operators. Fourthly, 20 inhabitants would be randomly sampled around each port or jetties in the study area; which would also result to 60 sampled inhabitants. It implies that three sets of questionnaires would be designed for the study; NIWA management, ferry operators and inhabitants.

Method of Data Analysis:

Data collected would be analyzed descriptive and inferential statistics such mean procedure and One Way Anaysis of Variance. The mean procedure will be used to analyze research question 1 to 5 while one way analysis of variance will be used to test hypothesis 1 and 2 respectively.

CHAPTER FOUR

DATAPRESENTATIONS AND ANALYSIS

Introduction

This chapter shows the results of the analysis done in this work, the interpretations and the implications. It starts with analysis of the research questions, followed by the test of hypothesis as shown below.

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY,CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary

The study evaluated the development of inland water transport in Nigeria. The study is necessitated by the importance of inland water transport in the development of socio and economic growth in Nigeria, especially in the coastal part of the country. Cross River and Akwa Ibom constituted the study population and the sample size. This was to evaluate the development of Inland Water Transport in the country. The study specifically assessed the extent of Government commitment in ensuring that inland water transport is developed in the Nigeria, the analysis result showed that government commitment was rated low. The study also evaluated the extent the National Inland Water Agency staff were implementing the policies of the agency. The analysis result also showed the extent of implementation of the NIWA policies were also rated low. Again, the study assessed the extent of ferry/boat operation in the study area and found out that it was high, since the grand mean was approximately 3.00. The impact of NIWA activities were found to be low on ferry operations and well being of the inhabitants in the study area respectively.

The hypothesis tested for the study showed the following: There were no significant difference in the extent of implementation of inland water policies by NIWA management among the various jetties and ports studied in the area; there were no significance difference in the level of development in the inland water transport in the study area.

Recommendations

The following recommendations are inevitable after the painstaking study:

There should be concerted effort to ensure that the budget made for inlandwater transport development in Nigeria is judiciously utilized. This could be achieved through introduction, implement and enforcement of severe penalty or punishment to anyone found wanting in misusing any resources meant for Inland Water Transport development in Nigeria. We know that there is such severe punishment like capital punishment penalty in places like China; no wonder they are rated among the best world technological thriven nations. Since most of our anti corruption agencies have failed us prosecute corrupt citizen, we are recommend that foreign agencies could be hired to track the operations of corrupt leaders in the country which will in turn ensure that the amount for development of inland water development is used for the purpose it is meant for.
Employment of skilled staff in NIWA should also enhance the development ofinland water transport in the country. It is serious issue because lack of skilled and right man power may have contributed to the low level of government commitment to enhance inland water transport in the country. This could be achieved through abolishing nepotism as a yard stick to employ applicants in This has not only sabotaged government commitment in the development of IWT the country but has caused job disaffection among some of the employees in the sector with damaging implication in the growth of IWT in the country.
The fight against ghost workers in the country should also be extended in thissector so that there will adequate staff available to discharge the duties in
Security of life and property should be treated with all seriousness if IWT will improve in the Lack of security will bring vandalism of infrastructures, reduce the enthusiasm of workers to discharge their work and mar the oppournity of installing more improved infrastructures and as well slack the efficiency and productivity of workers in the region. To ensure adequate security in the region, genuine community policing is inevitable to complement the effort of the conventional security outfit. The amnesty programme inaugurated by our late president; Dr. Yar,Adua Musa should be sustained as means of gainful employment of the youths in the region which will have positive implication in reducing the prevalence of security problems in the area and in the sector.
Pollution issues in the region should also be tackled if the development ofinland water transport (IWT) will be sustained in the region. IWT has the potency to improve the region if the lives of animals and plants will be These living creatures are the essence of socio-economic development of the region. When they are not protected, it will result to their extinction and in turn reduce the market share and GDP contribution of the region to the national economy. To reduce or avert pollution in the region, a policy or law should be enacted that would make oil companies in these areas pay reasonable tax to commiserate to the damages their oil exploration is causing the region. When this is done, there would be fund available to develop the region and the IWT sector and hence increase their consciousness in improving maintenance culture which will reasonably reduce pollution and its life threatening consequences in the region.

Research and Development is another area of interest to boost IWT development in the country. Indiscriminate disbursement of budget meant for the sector would not yield the maximum result if there are no functioning synergies between the research institute (universities) and IWT development The synergy would enhance “putting round peg to round hole” scenario which eliminate or reduce wasteful ventures in the sector.
There should be overhauling of policies in the sector to sieve out outdatedpolicies that are not in tandem with the international best practices. This will remove undue hiccups and processes which usually hinder speedy implementation of the recommendation made in a study like
Introduction of functional intermodal transport system is overdue to be introduced in the IWT in This is the only sure means of integrating all modes transport to complement and enhance the IWT activities in the country.
A collaborative approach should also be encouraged between NIWA and othersimilar agencies in the advanced nation to tap into the new discoveries in inland water transportation This will fast track the speedy development of IWT in Nigeria.
Allthe regulatory agencies should be active in ensuring and facilitating compliance to both IWT national and international policies to ensure sufficient and timely delivery of expectations in the IWT and as well meet up to the requirement of IWT operations.
There should be adequate dept of inland water in Nigeria IWT ways. This could be achieved by adequate dredging of the inland water ports and
This is serious now that the findings in the study shows that there is high extent of operations among the ferry/boat operators in the study area. If there is adequate dredging of inland water ports and jetties it will increase the operational activities of the ferry/boat operators in the Nigeria inland water transport.

There is need to ensure that there are functional social amenities in the coastalregion of the country. As we know, the water ways does not require intensive expenditure to create water ways, compare to what is obtainable in construction of other modes counterparts like roads and railway. The area should be compensated in the area of provision of social amenities like steady electricity, pure water for drinking and This will not only attract investors in the region but will also boost the quality of life in the area. These have a way of increase the market and industrialization of the area and in turn make IWT transport more viable and profitable.

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