FG To Concession Onitsha Inland Port
The Federal Government, through the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), is set to lease out the Onitsha River Port, which was rehabilitated at the cost of N4 billion by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) last year.
The port is expected to be handed over to the private firm that would emerge from a concession process anchored by the ICRC.
A creation of the colonial masters, the Onitsha River Port was abandoned due to the absence of navigational activities along the River Niger since independence in 1960.
NIWA's Managing Director, Mr. Ahmed Aminu Yar'Adua, told journalists in Onitsha at the weekend that the ICRC had since appointed a consultant to handle the concession of the port. The agreement between the ICRC and the consultant, which LEADERSHIP gathered is KPMG, was signed two weeks ago.
The port was rehabilitated by InterBau Construction Company, which carried out extensive repairs and replacement of cargo handling equipment, the gangway, the transit shed, warehouse, launching births, outdoor storage areas, access roads, drainage system, beside the construction of new administrative building, standard water supply system, and modern sewage system for the entire port complex.
The planned commissioning is coming on the heels of the recent award of six contracts worth over N9 billion for the provision of basic amenities that would promote water transportation in the country.
The contracts awarded to sustain the gains of the dredging of the River Niger, included the building of a new river port in Lokoja, which was awarded to Messrs Inter Bau Construction Company at a total contract sum of N4.1 billion to be completed in 57 weeks and the contract for the dredging of a channel along Orashi River, from Oguta Lake in Imo State to Degema in Rivers State, worth over N2 billion with a completion period of 12 months awarded to Messrs Simidia S. & I. International Company Limited.
Others include the contract for the construction of Okrika Jetty awarded to Messrs Johnmostainless Nig. Ltd at the sum of N438 million with the completion period of nine months, shore protection and dredging reclamation works at selected sites along River Niger at over N2.1 billion awarded to Messrs Evomec Global Services with a completion period of eight months.
Another contract was awarded to Messrs C.O.T. Engineering Ltd. for the construction of Degema Jetty in Rivers State in nine months at N490.9 million.
The contract for the procurement and installation of Soft Security Apparatus totalling N139.8 million went to Messrs Avsatel Communications Ltd.
The six contracts were signed in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital at the weekend.
No comments:
Post a Comment