The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has initiated a response to combat the pervasive water hyacinth vegetation that has obstructed navigable water channels in the Ebute area of Ikorodu in Lagos State.
According to an official statement made available to our correspondent, NIWA’s deployment of substantial swamp devil machines is a decisive measure to address the persistent issue, demonstrating its commitment to ensuring the safety and efficiency of water transportation in Lagos.
NIWA stated that the ongoing project is a direct result of calls made by boat operators who have been greatly affected by the encroachment of water hyacinth in the Lagos waterways adding that the eradication of this invasive vegetation is strategically essential to maintaining open and navigable water routes, which, in turn, guarantees the safety of boat operators and stakeholders in water transportation.
Water hyacinth is known to emerge from October to late December annually, posing a natural challenge that disrupts boating and fishing activities on inland waterways nationwide.
Leading the water hyacinth expedition team, the Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Engineer Sarat Lara Braimah revealed that the authority has devised comprehensive plans to combat this menace. She also emphasized that a specialized team of NIWA environmental experts will be vigilantly monitoring the presence of these troublesome weeds to prevent them from overrunning Lagos’ navigable channels.
Engineer Braimah urged organized boat operators and water users to promptly report any sightings of water hyacinth to the NIWA Lagos office. She also called on all stakeholders to adhere to existing safety regulations, emphasizing the importance of a collective effort to maintain the waterways’ functionality and safety.
