CITIZENS COMPASS– The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), on Thursday, alerted the public on a submerged dredger that poses danger on Lagos waterways.
According to a statement from NIWA Management, the sunken dredger located at Eko Bridge, near Ebute – Ere jetty poses a potential threat to waterways users.
“The National Inland Waterways Authority wishes to warn the general public about a rich sunken Dredger located at Eko Bridge near Ebute – Ere jetty which is a potential threat to navigational safety and environmental stability.
“The incident which took place on Saturday, 29th March, 2025 poses a hazard to River crafts navigating the area, especially during low tide or poor visibility conditions.
“We urge all Fishermen and Boat Operators to exercise caution when operating near the affected area.
“Waning signs and markers are being installed in collaboration with NIWA and marine safety officials. Until proper removal or mitigation steps are taken, avoiding the vicinity is strongly advised.
“Your co-operation is crucial to ensure public safety and environmental protection.
“While we count on your unwavering cooperation and collaboration in this regard, please accept the assurance of our highest regards and commitment in restoring navigation safety in this vicinity promptly.”
In thesame vein, the Dredgers Association of Nigeria (DAN) has urged the government to separate the wheat from the chaff.
The Association advised Engineer Dave Umahi, Nigeria’s Minister for Works to take a serious look at reclamation activities as against Industrial Dredging activities in order not to confuse Nigerians over these two different types of economic activities.
Rising from an emergency meeting after deliberating on the bedlam that was generated by the Minister for Works, who accused Dredgers of being responsible for the poor infrastructural state of Eko and Carter bridges in Lagos, disagreed with the *Minister’s* position and submitted that there are no direct interaction between dredging and bridge infrastructure.
“We wish to clarify that industrial dredging carried out by our members is not *the* cause of the damage observed in these structures,” noting that industrial dredging is highly regulated, focusing on areas in the creeks and centre of the *Lagos* lagoon far away from the bridges, thus key essential for maintaining navigable waterways and smooth movement of vessels in and out of Lagos is crucial to growing the city’s economic development.
“Mr Richard Ntan, the association’s general secretary, in a statement issued to clarify the position of the body, insisted that industrial dredging is not harmful to infrastructure like bridges, adding that the process is driven through a well articulated environmental ecosystem which ensures deeper waterways for large vessels, regulated through precession methods and strictly supervised to minimise any negative impact.
“The association, however, called for thorough investigation of the ongoing reclamation dredging currently ongoing near third Mainland bridge, adding that time has come to truly know the status of those who do reclamation dredging activities as against Industrial dredging concerns to which only members of DAN are known for.
“We at DAN supports the Minister that reclamation dredging activities should not take place near bridges and, it’s important that the Minister finds out the true pictures of those dredging near bridges and also not lump us at the Dredgers Association with such operators.”
DAN opins that though the Minister’s observation is valid but vehemently objected to the association members being lumped together with those dredging for reclamation activities such as around the third Mainland bridge.
“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 and activities do not harm the environment or vital national infrastructure and we share in 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 infrastructures such as bridges.”
