The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) says that works on the N10 billion inland ports under construction in Baro, Lokoja and Ogoja will be completed in 2017.

The Managing Director of NIWA, Boss Mustapha, disclosed this in Lokoja on Wednesday while addressing newsmen.

Mustapha said that works on the ports at Baro, Lokoja and Ogoja had reached 98 per cent, 57 per cent and 75 per cent respectively.

He put the contract sums of the ports at Baro, N3.5 billion; Lokoja, N4.1 billion, and Ogoja, N2.7 billion.

He said that all the ports would be completed in the 2017 fiscal years, adding that the they would be provided with other auxiliary facilities.

The NIWA managing director also said that the augury port in Imo had reached 70 per cent completion stage while the Onitsha port had been completed and was ready for use.

According to him, NIWA has received a certificate of compliance from the regulator, saying that the process of concessioning the port to a private operator will commence soon.

When completed, the port will service the entire market in the South East while 10 other jetties are also being constructed across the country.

Mustapha expressed the hope that the ongoing process to amend the law establishing the organisation by the National Assembly would enable it to resolve problems of overlapping of responsibilities and other conflicts within the maritime sector.

Businessdayonline