NIWA, Parts Central begin nationwide drive to clean Nigeria’s waterways

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), in partnership with Parts Central Limited, has launched a nationwide inland waterways clean-up initiative in Lagos, with a call on waterfront operators and other stakeholders to end indiscriminate waste disposal.

The initiative, unveiled in Lagos on Tuesday, is designed to improve the cleanliness and navigability of Nigeria’s inland waterways while creating opportunities for waste recycling, job creation and the development of the country’s blue economy.

Speaking at the launch, the Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Engr. Sarat Braimah, said the programme was particularly significant in Lagos, which she described as the starting point for a nationwide intervention because of the state’s extensive dependence on its waterways.

“We are unveiling Parts Central as a partner to the National Inland Waterways Authority. What they are supposed to do is to help us make sure that the inland waterways of Nigeria are clean and safe for navigation,” she said.

Braimah noted that about one-third of Lagos State was covered by water, stressing that the state’s economic activities were closely connected to its waterways.

According to her, ensuring clean waterways was fundamental to unlocking the potential of the blue economy, improving navigation and creating employment opportunities for young people.

“If the water is clean, navigation will be easier. If the water is clean, it will create jobs for our youth,” she said.

The NIWA official, however, expressed concern over the volume of waste being generated and discharged into waterways by some waterfront owners, dredgers, boat operators and tank farm operators.

She urged stakeholders to take responsibility for the waste generated from their activities and comply with environmental and operational regulations.

Braimah particularly criticised the practice of discharging domestic and industrial waste directly into waterways, saying some waterfront operators failed to provide appropriate facilities for waste management.

“Waterfront owners don’t even see the reason to have a soakaway. They believe our water should take it away. This is wrong practice. We want to stop this,” she said.

She also raised concerns over pollution around the Kirikiri axis, alleging that waste from some tank farm operations was being discharged into the waterways.

Some of the participants at the ceremony in Lagos

The pollution, she noted, was affecting not only navigation and the appearance of the waterways but also aquatic life and the livelihoods of fishermen.

Braimah urged dredgers to ensure that appropriate facilities were provided for the proper management of dredging-related wastewater and called on boat operators and fishermen to cooperate with the new clean-up initiative.

She also encouraged stakeholders to properly dispose of plastic waste, stressing that recyclable materials could be converted into economic value rather than being allowed to end up in the waterways.

The Managing Director of Parts Central Limited, Henry Olaoluwa Onifade, said the company would deploy waste-management infrastructure and technology across jetties and waterfronts as part of the partnership.

He disclosed that passenger boats and jetties would be equipped with appropriate waste bins to ensure that refuse generated during water transportation was collected rather than discharged into the waterways.

Onifade

“We are deploying different types of technology that will capture every area and every waterfront,” Onifade said.

He explained that landing facilities would be provided with approved waste bins for boats and other watercraft, while each jetty would have a larger “mother bin” where waste collected from boats could be deposited when they dock.

According to him, the system is intended to create a structured chain for the collection, transfer and eventual processing or disposal of waste generated along the inland waterways.

The initiative is expected to extend beyond Lagos to other parts of the country, with Parts Central deploying its waste-management systems while NIWA provides the necessary regulatory support.

Braimah said the initiative should not be viewed solely as an environmental campaign, arguing that a cleaner inland waterways system could stimulate economic activities, improve transportation and create jobs.

She called on boat operators, dredgers, tank farm operators, waterfront owners, fishermen and other users of the waterways to see the clean-up programme as a collective responsibility.

She said the success of the initiative would depend largely on compliance by stakeholders and a shift away from the culture of treating waterways as convenient dumping grounds.

The launch brought together stakeholders including boat operators, dredgers and officials of the Lagos State Government, among others.

The partnership between NIWA and Parts Central comes amid growing efforts to improve the environmental condition of Nigeria’s inland waterways and maximise their potential for transportation, fisheries, tourism and the wider blue economy.