Water Hyacinth, Wrecks Damaging Our Craft, Boat Operators Tell NIWA

Boat operators operating on the nation’s inland waterways, yesterday, lamented that huge presence of water hycinth and wrecks on the nation’s inland waterways is damaging their craft.

Though, the Lagos Area Office of NIWA has claimed to have removed wrecks on the inland waterways, but operators still lament presence of wreck, which they say is affecting safe navigation especially during high tide period.

However, in an exclusive chat with LEADERSHIP, the presidents, Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON), Ganiyu Tarzan and Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association Of Nigeria (WABOTAN), Tope Fajemirokun, urged government to remove debris from the inland waterways.

According to them, the debris, is damaging their craft and making them accrue huge operating cost.

Speaking, the national president ATBOWATON, said, “I went to Badore by boat because of traffic and on my way going to Badore, there are little water Hycinth but while returning, water has moved the water hycinth to the middle of the water and it’s affecting our business not only mine but majority of boat operators are affected and the unfortunate thing is that it has been coming for a long time since the 80’s and still coming now I think something should have been done by now.

“In fact, two to three of our boats have been damaged now because of the water hyacinth which leads to over heating because the engine dosen’t have enough water to cool the engine. Right now, my company has two engines we are working on and if you go to Badore now, you will see boats that engines are no longer because of water hyacinth and will cost us several millions of naira to repair,” he stated.

The president of WABOTAN, Tope Fajemirokun, also urged NIWA to remove encumbrances from the waterways before they lead to accident.

Fajemirokun, said buoys that served as navigational aides are not well positioned on the Lagos Waterways.