ASSESSMENT OF NAVIGABILITY AND SECURITY CONDITION OF WATERWAYS IN BAYELSA STATE, NIGERIA

\This study sought to assess the Navigability and security condition of waterways within Bayelsa state. Purposive sampling was used to select three waterways and six waterfronts (two in each senatorial district of the state) where Questionnaire, personal interviews and physical field observations were used to gather data from the field. The rivers sampled include; Forcados, Nun and Brass rivers. Multiple regression, t-test as well as simple statistical techniques were employed in analysing the data. The findings of the study reveal that waterways in the state are navigable particularly for speed boats and ferries which is the main means of water transport in the study area. However, the security condition of the waterways was revealed to be insufficient as there were very few checkpoints and police patrols along the waterways. Despite the navigable state of waterways within the state, the study recommends that dredging activities should be carried out consciously by government and agencies responsible for the management of the waterways for purposes of deepening the waterways for larger ships in the state thereby encouraging more economic activities in the area. The study also recommends more security check points and patrols along the waterways in the state in order to reduce pirates and other criminal activities within the waterways.