Philip Nwosu
The Nigerian Navy has raised the alarm over the disturbing number of abandoned and sinking vessels within the country’s water ways.
The Navy said over 35 of such maritime wreckages have been identified between Marina. Kirikiri, Tin Can Island and Navy Town water ways, as well as the channel leading to Badagry.
Addressing journalists in Lagos, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Oladele Daji, said maritime wreckages are causing a lot of hazards within the waterways.
He said the wreckages are preventing easy navigation of vessels and have destroyed a vessel belonging to the Nigerian Navy, the NNS CALAB AR, which was destroyed while on patrol within the Kirikiri /Tin Can Island water ways.
He said: “The danger is that during high water, the wreckages are submerged and pose a great threat to maritime safety. The harzard associated with submerged wreckage in our water ways is huge. These wreckages are littered along the waterways and they constitute navigational hazards as well as endanger safety of shipping.”
Admiral Daji lamented about the problems associated with wreckages within the waterways, saying, “The hazard associated with these wreckages is that most often, especially during high water, they are submerged and hardly visible to mariners, thereby, posing a great danger during this period of time.
“Apart from endangering shipping, most of the wreckages also constitute environmental pollution and hazards.
“I do not think it portrays us as a country with laws and regulations in good light, especially to the global shipping community,” he said.
The FOC added that there are several navigational aids like the oils, markings, and light houses, that are not functional or missing or have shifted from their intended original positions, saying, “
The absence of these navigational aids also constitute risks to shipping, especially at night or during restricted visibilities.
“You will recall that just a few months ago, one of our vessels, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Calabar, while moving harbours for patrols, was involved in mishap and struck submerged wreckage just in the middle of the channel.