FG, Lagos place ban on barge operations

The Federal Government, in conjunction with the Lagos State Government, on Tuesday, ordered the stoppage of all barge operations along the Lagos coastline. The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) was then ordered to revoke barge approvals granted some companies operating in Lagos.

The Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon Rotimi Amaechi, and the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who defied the early morning downpour to inspect the activities around the Marina coastline, made the stop-work order during an unscheduled visit to the Marina coastline.

After going round the coastline and seeing the long row of trucks and containers that have constituted health and security hazards on the Marina, the Honourable Minister of Transportation and the Lagos State Governor were shocked at the devastation of the Lagos coastline which used to be the pride of the State.

The Minister spoke of an urgent need to sanitise the entire Marina coastline and restore its tranquillity and beauty.
Amaechi then ordered that trucks must immediately stop coming to Marina to load.

Amaechi explained that the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) did not grant anyone permission to carry out barging operations along the Lagos coastline, insisting that all such activities must stop immediately.

According to the Minister of Transportation, “The Federal Ministry of Transport has agreed with the Lagos State Government to ensure that whoever is making use of the Marina coastline should stop. We have agreed with the Commissioner of Police to stop those using the roads and we have agreed with NPA to cancel all barge permits pending when each person will come back to NPA, NIWA and Lagos State Government to renew such approval.

The Lagos State Governor, on his part, directed the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to arrest and prosecute anyone who flouts the order to stop “unauthorised activities” on the Marina.

He said the State Government would do everything to bring sanity to the coastline.

“We are also talking to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing because we understand that some of the approvals were from the Federal Ministry of Works. So, we are also taking up that responsibility and we would do what we need to do,” the governor said.

Also at the inspection were the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, representatives of NIWA, Ministries of Works as well as Waterfront Infrastructure Development and the Police.

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