The Dredgers Association of Nigeria (DAN) has denied responsibility for the poor bridges in Lagos State, urging the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, to take a serious look at reclamation activities instead of industrial dredging activities as responsible for the poor infrastructure status of the Eko and Carter Bridges in the state.
The association stated this after an emergency meeting held on Thursday in Lagos, where they deliberated on the bedlam generated by the Minister of Works, who accused dredgers of being responsible for the poor infrastructural state of the Eko and Carter bridges in Lagos.
They urged the minister not to confuse Nigerians over these two different types of economic activities, saying, ‘’We wish to clarify that industrial dredging carried out by our members is not the cause of the damage observed in these structures.”
They noted that industrial dredging is highly regulated, focusing on areas in the creeks and centre of the Lagos lagoon far away from the bridges. Thus, it is crucial to maintain navigable waterways and smooth vessel movement in and out of Lagos, which is essential to the city’s economic development.
The association’s general secretary, Mr Richard Ntan, in a statement issued to clarify the position of the body, insisted that industrial dredging is not harmful to infrastructure like bridges, adding that the process is driven through well-articulated environmental ecosystem which ensures deeper waterways for large vessels, regulated through precession methods and strictly supervised to minimise any negative impact.
The association, however, called for a thorough investigation of the ongoing reclamation dredging of the Third Mainland Bridge, adding that the time has come to honestly know the status of those who do reclamation dredging activities as opposed to Industrial dredging concerns for which only members of DAN are known.
