STUDY ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF INLAND WATERWAYS TRANSPORTATION IN BAYELSA AND RIVERS STATE
ABSTRACT
Water transport is the cheapest and the oldest mode of transport. It operates on a natural track and hence does not require huge capital investment in the construction and maintenance of its track except in case of canals. The cost of operation of water transport is also very less. It has the largest carrying capacity and is most suitable for carrying bulky goods over long distances. The primary goal of this study was to investigate the unique characteristics of inland waterways transportation in Bayelsa and Rivers state. The research method adopted here is the descriptive survey method. A total of 150 copies of the questionnaire were produced and distributed across the selected communities in the two states, with 75 copies of the questionnaire meant for each state. The findings from the study showed that there is a high traffic in Rivers state more than Bayelsa state. Field investigations revealed that inland water transport, especially in the deltaic areas of Rivers and Bayelsa state plays a key role in rural development. The study recommends that government should encourage private investment in the river transportation system by giving soft loans to the people as a means of empowerment and Job creation. Also, Modern boats for river transportation should be introduced to these estuarine communities for rapid movement of cargo and passengers to their destinations.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Water transport is the cheapest and the oldest mode of transport. It operates on a natural track and hence does not require huge capital investment in the construction and maintenance of its track except in case of canals. The cost of operation of water transport is also very less. It has the largest carrying capacity and is most suitable for carrying bulky goods over long distances. It has played a very significant role in bringing different parts of the world closer and is indispensable to foreign trade.
Modern inland waterway development has been largely carried out by governments, in contrast to early canal construction, which was mainly undertaken by private enterprise. Most of the older canals were subsequently acquired by the state and are administered by them or their agencies and are subject to comprehensive regulation, frequently by independent commissions. International commissions representing the states concerned regulate navigation on the international waterways. In the United States the waterways are basically a federal responsibility, with their development undertaken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, but state governments and local authorities also participate in the administration of many local waterways. The Interstate Commerce Commission has responsibility for the regulation of the common carriers and requires them to publish their rates. For some major multipurpose projects, public corporations were established to undertake and administer them.
In Europe and the former Soviet Union the national networks, mainly based on navigable and canalized rivers linked by canal, were developed by the governments, which retained responsibility for finance and administration. In Britain most canals were brought under government ownership beginning Jan. 1, 1948, and are administered by the British Waterways Board.
Europe’s main waterways have long been accepted as international waterways with navigation free to all vessels and equality of treatment of all flags guaranteed. The chief regulatory commissions are the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine, the Danube Commission, and the commission for the canalized Moselle. There are also a number of bilateral agreements between states. Wars and political considerations following them have from time to time interrupted the freedom of navigation. A provisional Rhine Commission was operating in the early 1970s; a new Danube Commission was established in 1953 after the signing of the Austrian state treaty, when freedom of navigation throughout the river’s length was fully restored. With the creation of a number of international organizations in Europe, a high degree of cooperation between states for the development of the inland waterways and the regulation of navigation was achieved, particularly through the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the European Economic Community, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the Council of Europe.
In North America a U.S.-Canadian International Joint Commission has functioned since 1909 with general authority over the boundary waters. The St. Lawrence Seaway is a joint project, administered by the St. Lawrence Seaway Authority in Canada and the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation in the United States.
The Panama Canal was originally administered under the Panama Canal Convention of 1903 by the United States, under the supervision of the army. Panama-U.S. relations were frequently strained, and in 1964 the United States agreed to negotiate new treaties concerning the existing canal and construction of a new canal at sea level. Later both countries agreed to a new treaty recognizing Panama’s sovereignty over the Canal Zone.
The international status of the Suez Canal, constructed and administered by the Suez Canal Company, has frequently been a matter for dispute, peaceful and otherwise. Only in 1904, under an Anglo-French agreement, was the Constantinople Convention of 1888, establishing the Suez Canal as an international waterway open to all in war and peace, finally implemented. In 1956 British presence in the area ended, and troops were withdrawn from the canal zone; the Egyptian government nationalized the assets of the canal company and the administration was assumed by Egypt, but the 1967 war closed the canal until 1975.
1.2 Statement of the problem
An efficient transportation system facilitates the movement of goods and people cheaply and quickly which is vital in producing in a vibrant economy. The more efficient the transport system is, the lower the cost of transport, and invariably the lower the cost of goods and services (NDDC, 2006). This is likely the proven case of Bayelsa state and Rivers state inland waterways. An efficient Inland Water Transport (IWT) system plays a critical and positive role in the economic life of any country. Every country should realize the importance of the relationship between good and functional multimodal IWT systems in their economic development. IWT cost effectiveness and development of remote communities in several countries and in Nigeria in particular cannot be overemphasized. In many instances these advantages can be gained with little or no improvement to existing waterways (World Bank, 2002). There is this belief that the use of IWT in Nigeria has not yet reached its full potential due to lack of adequate investment in the sector over many years. The Niger Delta region situated in the southern part of Nigeria and bordered to the south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the East by Cameroon, occupies a surface area of about 112,110 square kilometers (UNDP, 2006). It represents about 12% of Nigeria's total surface area and it is estimated that by the beginning of 2006 its population will be over 28 million inhabitants. This study was undertaken to examine the characteristics of inland waterways transportation in Bayelsa and Rivers state.
1.3 Research objectives
The primary goal of this study is to investigate the unique characteristics of inland waterways transportation in Bayelsa and Rivers state. Specifically we would focus on:
The unique features of inland waterways transportation in Bayelsa and Rivers state.
The constraints to effective inland waterways transportation in Bayelsa and Rivers state.
The contributions of Bayelsa and Rivers states inland waterways to national economy.
1.4 Research Questions
The following research questions were raised to guide the study:
What are the unique features of inland waterways transportation in Bayelsa and Rivers state?
What are the constraints to effective inland waterways transportation in Bayelsa and Rivers state?
What are the contributions of Bayelsa and Rivers state inland waterways to national economy?
1.5 Significance of Study
Findings in this study will be of immense benefit to the following; Researchers, Inland waterways operators and user, policy makers, Nigeria inland water authority, the inhabitants of coastal regions and to all other modes of transport operators and customers as suggested thus:
The outcome of this research will expose the prevailing features or characteristics of IWT and also the problems truncating the development IWT in Nigeria.
The findings in this study will add to the existing literature for use by researchers.
1.6 Scope and limitation of the Study
The study was carried out only in the two states of Nigeria from the Niger Delta or the south-south zone of the country that inland water transport is a verified means of transport. The states are Bayelsa state and Rivers state. The study witnessed so many limitations such as inadequate fund and limited time to carry out this study. In some cases also the respondents were persuaded to fill or answer the questions contained in the questionnaires. There was insufficient data, especially to obtain secondary data for the analysis. Sometimes, the people who were meant to release the secondary data were unwilling and skeptical to do so. Some of the respondents, especially the native residents were illiterate to understand and answer correctly the question in the questionnaire.
1.7 Organization of the Study
This study is organized into five distinct but related chapters. The chapter one states the research problem, highlights the objectives and raises pertinent questions which the study seeks to address. The second chapter dealt with the review of literatures. In handling the review of literatures, both international and local contents were reviewed. The third chapter describes the methodology adopted for this study. The study employed the descriptive survey method for this research. The fourth chapter presents and analyzes the data obtained from the field to address the study’s research questions. In the fifth chapter, we summarized the study and made some remarks in the conclusion part while making positive recommendation.