Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, is set to launch the dredging of the 162km Ajaokuta-Onitsha waterways on April 28, in Kogi State.
The first phase of the project will include 80 metres radius from the ramp, 250 metres upstream and 250 metres down stream.
Amaechi told newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja, that the dredging was an initiative of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
He commended the managing director of NIWA for the initiative, adding that already the agency had mobilised its dredgers to carry out maintenance dredging on the Ajaokuta-Onitsha waterways to ensure smooth navigation of barges and vessels.
“This is a good idea; the NIWA boss tries to get back our old dredgers to do the dredging by ourselves, not by contract, because we do not have money to award contract.
“Those companies that can use barges can move their freight; it is 2.5-metre raft. We just want the waterways to be navigable,’’ the minister said.
He also said the move would go a long way in facilitating the transportation of freight to the eastern part of the country.
