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Passengers Accuse NIWA, LASWA Of Haphazard Hyacint Removal On Ikorodu Channel

Fresh facts have emerged that removal of water hyacinth from Ikorodu Channel as claimed  by the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) and its counterpart from the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) was haphazardly executed resulting to anxiety on the part of passengers.

Waterways passengers within Ikorodu and neighbouring communities have continued to expressed their disappointment and fears with the duplication of functions on vegetation removal by the two regulatory agencies which in turn has yielded no positive result to aid ferry and boats navigation within the aforementioned route.

This is coming barely two weeks both the federal and state agencies of government have separately claimed to have removed the infested weeds from the Ikorodu inland waterways.

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Checks further confirmed the scores of boats were hindered from navigation due to the highly infested vegetation at the Ikorodu jetty on Monday.

Our correspondent who visited the Ikorodu jetty on Monday in Lagos, confirmed that the operations embarked upon by LASWA, NIWA was done haphazardly to prove a point of working to impress the state and federal government .

It was gathered that equipment belonging to NIWA for water weed removal has been faulty for a long while, as against the backdrop of its claims on hyacinth removal.

Due to the weeds obstruction of navigation at Ikorodu, our correspondent confirmed that as at 3pm it takes a distance of 100 metres for passengers to access the jetty from the boarded boats because of the heavy presence of the water hyacinth.

Our correspondent who monitor the process observed that passengers were spotted jumping from one boat to another before accessing the jetty,  a situation that stirred panic amongst them.

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However, a cross section of the passengers who spoke with DAILY FOCUS NIGERIA shortly after the journey recount their ordeals , saying that proactive step  needs to be done towards addressing safety of passengers on that axis.

Some of the boats obstructed by the water hyacinth at the Ikorodu, jetty

According to them, the water hyacinth has continued to constitute a menace to passengers safety during this period.

A passenger who simply identified himself as Austin Obi alleged that the water weeds naturally moves out of the channel noting that the agencies have little or noting to do with hyacinth removal or control from the waterways.

Obi reiterated that the agencies cannot claim to effectively remove the weeds for safe navigation of boats noting that the weeds naturally move out of the axis and may likely return later in the evening.

He explained that the issues surrounding water hyacinth removal needs close monitoring because according to him, it is not an achievement to be celebrated by the government agencies.

He further urged the authorities to lay more emphasis on wreck removal from the inland waterways in Lagos noting that water weeds removal is not an achievement that warrant celebration on the pages of newspapers.

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A female passenger who crave anonymity shortly after the voyage told DAILY FOCUS NIGERIA , that ” I was afraid during the journey and the most scaring moment was when we got to the point whereby we started jumping from one boats to another because of the high volume of hyacinth block the jetty point.

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“The authorities can improve on this development because from what I saw today I may b forced to stop waterways transportation because safety is not guarantee,”she expressed.

Similarly, another passenger with name witheld, expressed disappointment on the poorly executed claimed removal of water hyacinth by the authorities adding such exercise should be on a regular basis on the Ikorodu inland waterways.

He called on both the federal and state government to empower the authorities to do more toward ensuring safety navigation of passengers

Recall that the National Inland Waterways Authority had deployed its massive swamp devil  machines to attack and clear pervasive water hyacinth vegetation, which has clogged navigable water channels  in ebbutte areas of Ikorodu in  Lagos state.

Some of the boats obstructed by the water hyacinth at the Ikorodu, jetty

NIWA said the project, which is  a direct and proactive response by the federal water transportation regulatory agency, to calls by boat operators,  is  strategic to keeping lagos waterways free from such encumbrances and a headline efforts to assure boat operators and water transportation stakeholders of their safety.

The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) also stated that it had kick started the annual  clearing and removal of water hyacinth away from ferry routes across the state.

The General Manager, Lagos State waterways Authority,  Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel while speaking to newsmen on Wednesday 4th of October 2023,  explained that pegging and clearing of the Water Hyacinth have commenced at Ikorodu ferry terminal and other areas with very high infestation and impact on navigation.

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He said LASWA alongside other  stakeholders are collaborating and  have mobilized adequate Labour force and machinery to commence the clearing of the weed immediately.

The LASWA GM added that the first phase of the project is pegging down the water hyacinth to curtail its movement and infestation across ferry channels, followed by proper clearing of the aquatic weed using both manual Labour and weed harvesting machines.

This effort in no doubt will mitigate the occasional damage of Boat Engines caused by this floating aquatic plant and will eliminate delays in travel time while promoting the use of water transport as a viable alternative that is safe, fast and secure.

Mr. Oluwadamilola reiterated the state government’s commitment towards improving safety standards and procedures of the state inland waterways so to achieve the safety of all Waterways users, he advises Boat Captains to always drive with caution during this season of Ember months and avoid night travel while soliciting maximum cooperation of all stakeholders.

.The water Hyacinth weeds rear up its fangs from October to late December,  every year, a natural phenomenal occurrence that impedes boating activities and aggressively disruptive of  fishing activities on  inland waterways across the country.

 

By Roland Ekama

 

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