Joseph Chibu
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and Parts Central Limited have launched a nationwide clean up initiative aimed at restoring the cleanliness and safety of Nigeria’s inland waterways.
The initiative, launched in Lagos on Tuesday, is designed to tackle indiscriminate waste disposal and other activities contributing to the pollution of the country’s waterways.
Speaking at the launch, NIWA Lagos Area Manager, Engr. Sarat Braimah, described Parts Central as a strategic partner in the authority’s efforts to improve the condition of the waterways and promote safer navigation.
Braimah said the partnership would begin in Lagos because of the state’s strategic importance to Nigeria’s economy and its extensive network of waterways.
According to her, about one third of Lagos State is covered by water, making the waterways critical to transportation, commerce, employment and the development of the blue economy.
She said the success of the initiative in Lagos would provide a model that could be replicated across other states as part of efforts to improve the condition of Nigeria’s inland waterways.
Braimah said clean waterways would not only improve navigation but also create economic opportunities for young Nigerians through activities connected to the blue economy.
She urged dredgers, boat operators, tank farm owners and waterfront operators to support the initiative and take responsibility for waste generated through their activities.
She particularly criticised the practice of discharging domestic and industrial waste directly into waterways, noting that some waterfront owners had failed to provide appropriate waste disposal facilities.
Braimah also raised concerns over the activities of tank farm operators around the Kirikiri axis, which she described as one of the most polluted stretches of Nigeria’s inland waterways.
She said indiscriminate dumping had affected water quality, aquatic life and fishing activities, warning that continued pollution could undermine the economic potential of the waterways.
The NIWA official appealed to boat operators, fishermen and other users of the waterways to cooperate with Parts Central and the authority by disposing of plastic and other waste properly.
She also encouraged dredging operators to put appropriate measures in place to prevent contaminated water and waste from being discharged into the waterways.
Braimah said NIWA would provide the regulatory support required to ensure that the clean up programme achieved its objectives and improved environmental standards across the waterways.
On his part, the Managing Director of Parts Central Limited, Henry Olaoluwa Onifade, said the company would deploy waste management facilities and technology across jetties and waterfront communities.
Onifade said passenger boats and jetties would be equipped with approved refuse bins, while larger collection bins would be installed at jetties to allow boat operators to dispose of waste when docking.
He said the company would deploy different technologies to cover various waterfront locations, adding that the initiative was aimed at ensuring that watercraft operating on Nigeria’s inland waterways had appropriate facilities for waste disposal.
Stakeholders at the launch included boat operators, dredgers and representatives of the Lagos State Government, among others, who expressed support for the initiative and the broader effort to protect Nigeria’s inland waterways.