The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), in partnership with Parts Central Limited, has launched a nationwide inland waterways clean up initiative, beginning with Lagos.
The initiative, unveiled in Lagos on Tuesday, is aimed at tackling pollution, improving navigation and promoting safer and cleaner waterways across the country.
Speaking at the launch, NIWA Lagos Area Manager, Engr. Sarat Braimah, identified indiscriminate waste disposal by waterfront owners, dredgers, boat operators and tank farm operators as major contributors to pollution in Lagos waterways.
Braimah said the partnership with Parts Central was designed to complement NIWA’s regulatory responsibilities by ensuring that Nigeria’s inland waterways remained clean, safe and navigable.
“We are unveiling Parts Central as a partner to the National Inland Waterways Authority. They are supposed to help us make sure that the inland waterways of Nigeria are clean and safe for navigation,” she said.
According to her, Lagos was deliberately chosen as the starting point because of its strategic position in Nigeria’s economy and the significant role waterways play in the state’s commercial activities.
She noted that about one third of Lagos State was covered by water, stressing that the success of the blue economy depended largely on the cleanliness and efficient management of the waterways.
Braimah said cleaner waterways would improve navigation, stimulate economic activities and create employment opportunities, particularly for young Nigerians.
She urged waterfront owners, dredgers and boat operators to comply with environmental regulations, noting that many of the wastes found in the waterways were generated by activities around the waterfront.
The NIWA official particularly criticised the practice of discharging domestic and industrial waste directly into waterways, saying waterfront owners must provide proper waste disposal facilities instead of relying on the water to carry away their refuse.
Braimah also raised concerns over pollution around Kirikiri, alleging that waste discharged by tank farm operators had contributed significantly to the poor condition of waterways in the area.
“If you go to Kirikiri, our tank farm owners empty their waste in our waters. That is why that stretch of inland waterways is the dirtiest in Nigeria,” she said.
She added that indiscriminate waste disposal had affected water quality and aquatic life, including fish, while urging fishermen and other waterway users to support the clean up campaign.
Braimah also appealed to operators to dispose of plastic waste responsibly, noting that recyclable materials could be converted into economic value rather than being dumped into the waterways.
She further directed dredging operators to adopt appropriate systems for managing and discharging water generated from their activities to prevent further pollution of the waterways.
Managing Director of Parts Central Limited, Henry Olaoluwa Onifade, said the company would deploy technology and waste management facilities across jetties and waterfronts as part of the initiative.
Onifade said passenger boats and jetties would be equipped with approved refuse bins, while larger “mother bins” would be installed at jetties to enable boat operators to dispose of waste properly when docking.
He said the initiative would cover different waterfront locations and landing facilities, with the company deploying various technologies to ensure that watercraft operating on Nigeria’s inland waterways had access to appropriate waste disposal facilities.
Stakeholders at the launch included boat operators, dredgers, waterfront operators and officials of the Lagos State Government, among others, who were urged to support the initiative to restore the cleanliness and safety of Nigeria’s waterways.
