In preparation for the increase in water transport during the Yuletide season, the National Inland Waterways Authority has commenced the removal of hyacinth from Lagos water channels.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, NIWA said the initiative aims to ease transport activities and enhance safety for waterway users.
Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Sarat Brimah, in the statement explained that the ongoing project will cover major Lagos channels with high boat traffic starting from Omu Creeks and Ikorodu water channels.
According to him, the Omu creeks have already been cleaned, while the Ikorodu channels will require at least a week of intensive cleaning activities, including waste removal and disposal of invasive water plants.

Brimah stressed that the effort is in line with the agency's key operational mandate to “ensure smooth and safe navigation for boat operators and other stakeholders, especially as traffic on the waterways is expected to increase during the Yuletide season.”
“As we approach the Christmas season, with the anticipated increase in boat traffic, we want to make sure everything is in order,” Brimah said.
He said this season also sees the resurgence of water hyacinth along the waterways in Lagos.
“It is best to clear them proactively, even though weeds may reappear. “Our goal is to maintain safe passage for boat operations during the yuletide and beyond.”
The NIWA Lagos Area Manager also said that the project will be extended to Badagry and Apapa water channels, although the Ikorodu channel remains the current priority, as from there the weed spreads to other parts of Lagos' coastal communities.
“We are working round the clock to maintain this effort, with our river marshals deployed to monitor boating operations especially during this period. This is an expensive and demanding project, but we are fully committed, our staff are there every day to ensure its success,” said Brimah.
(TagstoTranslate)Lagos Waterways(T)NIWA(T)Hyacinth
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