Following the blockage of Pessu Market river in Warri, Delta State, the management of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has attributed the blockage to the activities of wood traders along the channel.
NIWA has consequently ordered the immediate deployment of technical experts and equipment to the blocked area, in order to link it up to the main Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) outlet.
Managing Director, NIWA, George Moghalu stated this to newsmen shortly after the inspection of the blocked river.
Moghalu expressed concern over the low water level witnessed during the period of high tides and wondered how difficult the situation would be for those plying their trade in the area when there were low tides.
Moghalu, who took time to inspect the remote cause of the blockage, admitted that the situation requires an urgent intervention in order not to endanger the lives of residents who are mostly waterway users, especially women who are into fishing and petty tradering.
He directed the opening up of the blocked area and promised that the river would be dredged soon as a way of averting a delicate situation that could lead to loss of lives.
“It’s a total blockage we are looking at here, and if you can have this volume of water during the high tide, imagine what the situation would be during the low tide.
“So, I am a bit worried about it and I have directed now that a survey team should move in to start work immediately to get the hydro-graphic survey done completely from the beginning down to the major outlets.
“It is after this stage that we will begin to look at the programme of dislodging the entire place and dredging it.
“We want to clear it, otherwise, we’ll lose the body of water here and that’s not in our best interest.
“Due to the urgency we attach to solving this problem, I will be issuing a formal letter so that the work can commence in earnest and we hope to complete it in good time too”, Moghalu said.
Earlier, Obaro Arieigwe, a trader and resident of the community, lamented how residents of the area had suffered for many years due to the blockage and shallow river.
“Look at the water level you are seeing now, that is , it’s the ground you will be seeing and by that time, we won’t be able to do our business of farming and trading with our neighbouring communities as our boats will no longer be able to move,” Arieigwe lamented.
He blamed the river blockage to the activities of the wood traders and saw millers who heaped saw-dust into the river for many years, saying that after a while, they “started experiencing some difficulties in making their way through till it got to this present state”.

Stories By Chinedu Wosu