The Dredgers Association of Nigeria (DAN) on Thursday advised Nigeria’s Works Minister, Engineer Dave Umahi, to differentiate between reclamation activities and industrial dredging activities in order to avoid confusing Nigerians about those responsible for the poor state of national infrastructure, such as the Third Mainland Bridge, Eko Bridge, and Carter Bridge.
Following an emergency meeting held in Lagos to deliberate on the Works Minister’s allegation that dredgers are responsible for the poor state of infrastructure at Eko and Carter Bridges in Lagos, the Dredgers stated that there is no direct interaction between dredging activities and bridge infrastructure.
According to a statement signed by DAN General Secretary, Mr Richard Ntan, the group clarified, “We wish to emphasise that industrial dredging carried out by our members is not the cause of the damage observed to these national structures.
“Industrial dredging is highly regulated, focusing on areas in the creeks and the centre of the Lagos Lagoon, far away from the bridges. That is why industrial dredging is essential for maintaining navigable waterways and enabling the smooth movement of vessels in and out of Lagos.”
Mr Richard Ntan further asserted that industrial dredging is not harmful to infrastructure such as bridges, adding that the process is guided by a well-articulated environmental ecosystem which ensures deeper waterways for large vessels.
The association, however, called for a thorough investigation into the reclamation dredging currently being carried out near the Third Mainland Bridge, adding that the time has come to accurately determine those conducting reclamation dredging activities, which are distinct from industrial dredging carried out by DAN members.
“We at DAN support the Minister’s assertion that reclamation dredging activities should not take place near bridges. It is, however, important for the Minister to ascertain the true identities of those dredging near bridges and to avoid conflating them with members of the Dredgers Association of Nigeria.
“We, the Dredgers Association of Nigeria, remain committed to the responsible conduct of dredging activities in Lagos and across Nigeria, in full compliance with national regulations, to ensure that our operations do not harm the environment or vital national infrastructure.
“We share the Minister’s concerns about the need to preserve Nigeria’s infrastructure, and we are dedicated to ensuring that all dredging operations are carried out in ways that support the nation’s economic growth while safeguarding critical infrastructure, such as bridges,” the DAN statement added.
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