The question was popular among the candidates and their performance was just fair. They scored high marks in the (a) component of the question but performed poorly in the (b) and (c) components of the question because many of them did not understand the word “ constraints”, the constraints to inland water navigation that should have been listed included:
-    silting of river mouths
-    problems of piracy
-    presence of rapids, cataracts, waterfalls/dams
-    fluctuations in the volumes of rivers
-    presence of water weeds e.g. water hyacinth
-    competition with other modes of transport
-    slow speed
-    freezing of rivers and lakes
-    narrow gorges
-    shallow nature of most river valleys
-    non-flexibility
-    presence of dangerous aquatic animals
-    adverse weather conditions
-    limited capital
-    short courses of rivers
-    rivers flowing through areas of limited commercial activities
-    poor maintenance culture
-    low patronage
-    hazards of tree stumps
-    poor navigational aids
-    poor management

The solutions to the constraints are:
-    dredging to increase depth of rivers
-    traffic control on rivers to check piracy
-    channelization to avoid rapids and waterfalls
-    removal of water weeds with herbicides/machines
-    improving the technology of speed boat engines to increase speed
-    dredging of more canals for accessibility
-    policing water ways
-    use of dams and reservoirs to control water levels
-    introduction of comfortable boats
-    use of ice breakers
-    involvement of conservation to control dangerous animals
-    provision of adequate capital
-    construction of canals
-    development of the hinterland
-    cultivation of good maintenance culture
-    enlightenment on the use of inland water ways
-    removal of tree stamps
-    provision of modern navigational aids
-    improved management