FG Beams Searchlight On Private Jetties

In an apparent anticipation of possible use of illegal private jetties to perpetuate criminal activities such as smuggling of arms and ammunitions into the country and illegal mid- stream discharge of cargoes, the task force that was recently set up by the minister of transport, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman may this week swoop on scores of such facilities that are scattered all over the country. 
This is the second time that the Government will be focusing its attention on the numerous private jetties; especially in Lagos and the Niger Delta, a development which insider sources attributed to certain discoveries about the use to which some of the jetties are being put.
To give vent to the desire to checkmate the activities at these jetties, the committee which is being headed by Mrs Chinwe Ezenwa, a deputy director in the federal ministry of transport has been meeting in Lagos.
Our correspondent also gathered last week that all owners of jetties and similar facilities have already been asked to come forward with their permits, licenses, or waivers that they may have been granted by the government.
The eight-member committee is expected to carry out an inventory of all such facilities, confirm the level of compliance with laid-down operational standards. It is also expected to proceed to register jetties that eventually meet the criteria.
A curious dimension to the committee’s work is the directive that it should also look into the age- long rivalry between NPA and National Inland Waterways Authourity (NIWA) over control of jetties and waterfronts.
Confirming that government was actually worried that the various waterfronts an jetties could be used for nefarious activities, especially as the 2011 general elections approach, a source at the ministry of transport hinted our correspondent that the committee will also “recommend measures to curb illegal activities at the private jetties including enforcing the ban on mid-stream discharge and recommend measures that will prevent private jetties form receiving ocean-going vessels”.    
The report of an earlier presidential committee is yet to be made public.