The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has averted what could have turned out to be another barge accident on Lagos waterways when it rescued a fully loaded barge named “Sekinatu” abandoned and floating on Lagos waterways with about 26 containers onboard.
The Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Engineer Sarat Braimah in a chat with the Nigerian Tribune on Thursday confirmed that staff of the agency discovered the barge, fully loaded and floating with no Tug boat attached to it around Takwa Bay, blocking the main channel leading to the outside bar.
Recall that there was a barge accident that occurred on March 6, 2021, along KLT/Mile 2 – Maza Maza water channels where about six 40ft containers said to contain electronics (new LED TV sets) went down the water. The contents of the containers were valued at N500, 000,000.00.
According to Engineer Sarat Braimah, “this barge was seen on the waterways floating aimlessly without any tugboat attached to it. It was floating on the main channel that leads to Takwa Bay and the outside bar.
“Our marine staff from our Lagos office saw it and were able to move the barge aground. Now we are trying to arrange a tugboat.
“This is a serious offence, and as you can see, there are 26 loaded containers onboard the barge without any tugboat attached to it. We are still investigating to find out what happened to the owner because nobody was seen on the barge when it was arrested. The name of the barge is Sekinatu, but where it was going, we cannot say for now.”
She added that investigations are ongoing as the agency will make effort to move the barge away from the mainstream.
She added that the barge owner would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
Recall that the Federal Government through the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) has recently tried to regulate the activities of barge operators operating along the Lagos inland waterways vis-a-vis the Lagos ports.
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