•FG Votes N3.4bn
The Federal Government as given approval to the Nigerian Ports Authourity (NPA) to commence removal of wreck and derelicts which litters the nation’s water channels and which constitute hazards to safe navigation. The exercise which will commence next month is expected to gulp about N3.4bn.
Confirming this at the weekend, managing director, NPA, Malam Abdusallam Mohammed said that result of the surveys conducted in the last couple of weeks in Lagos waters alone, showed that over 100 wrecks were identified in different locations. He added that “out of the 31 wrecks considered very critical to navigation, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is working on seven’’.
He disclosed that apart from the Lagos channels, another batch of 24 wrecks and derelicts were discovered in the Port Harcourt/ Bonny channels and that out these, five were considered to be very critical and that the removal would be done in collaboration with NPA ‘s joint venture partner; Bonny Channel Management company.
He disclosed that some of the wrecks are already totally submerged while some are in different stages of being submerged, adding that the wrecks whose identities and ownership could be identified would be advertised for their owners to take possession and remove them. “We will call on them to come and remove them, if they fail to remove them, then the appropriate agency, and in this particular incidence, NIMASA will take action”, he stated.
“We have compiled list of so many abandoned vessels in Lagos area, some are submerged, some are semi-submerged, some are yet to be submerged, we have identified 54 in the Lagos area, we have compiled the list and forwarded the list to NIMASA. I believe based on the information that they have received, NIMASA has already published notices advising the owners to come and remove them”, he explained.
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