Port users under the aegis of the Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders Association Importers and Exporters Coalition, have raised the alarm over encroachment on the nation’s waterways by jetty owners and some oil and gas port operators.
Speaking to Nigerian Tribune in an exclusive interview, National Coordinator of the group, Chief Osita Patrick Chukwu explained that some oil and gas ports and private jetties have started expanding their facilities, thereby encroaching on the nation’s waterways.
According to Chukwu Osita, “Some of the port operators, particularly the oil and gas jetties and even some private jetties, have started encroaching on the nation’s waterways by sand-filling some sections of the water channel in front of their terminals, thereby reducing the space on the water channels and preparing grounds for catastrophe in the future.
“If you go to Tin-Can Island Ports, you will see that some port operators there have sand-filled their water channels all in a bid to expand their facilities and have more space for operation. But in doing this, they are reducing the water channels and laying foundations for future disaster.
“Many of the oil and gas facilities are guilty of this. Even some of the private jetties have started sand-filling their water channels just to expand their facilities. If this goes unchecked, some channels on the waterways will become too small for some particular vessels.
“Aside reducing the water channels, there is an environmental hazard to this trend. Remember what happened at Lekki when there was a heavy downpour? Remember how the whole place became flooded?
“Who knows what tomorrow will bring? If there is any water surge, this could lead to serious environmental hazards in and around the Tin-Can Island ports environment. This trend is not happening in Apapa Port maybe because there is less concentration of oil and gas jetties around that side. But go to Tin-Can Port; all the port owners, especially the private jetties and oil and gas facilities are expanding their base, sand filling their water channels. This is something that ought to be checked by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).”
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