Few weeks into the yuletide season, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Lagos office has flagged off massive clearance of water hyacinth hindering smooth navigation in Omu, Ikorodu, Apapa and Badagry creeks and channels in Lagos State.

The move, according to the authorities, would ease transportation activities and aid safety of waterways users in the state.

According to NIWA’s Area Manager, Lagos office, Engineer Sarat Braimah, the ongoing project would cover the critical Lagos channels with high traffic of boat movements , starting with Omu creeks and Ikorodu water channels.

She explained that the Omu creeks had been cleared, while the Ikorodu channels would take at least a week of intense clearance activities, including waste removal and disposal of the troublesome sea weeds.

Braimah stressed that the effort was part of the agency’s key operational responsibilities and mandate to ensure smooth and safe sailing by boat operators and other stakeholders preparing for the yultide season when traffic on the waterways would be high.

She added: “We want to do what is right as we approach the Christmas holiday season with expected increase in boat transport activities.

Incidentally, the season also heralds the return of water hyacinth around our waterways in the state. So, the best is to proactively clear them even though the weeds have the capacity to rebound, but we are ready to sustain a safe passage for boats operations during and even after the yultide.

“We are working round the clock to ensure this effort is sustained during this period and also the deployment of our river marshals to help keep eyes on boating operations during this period.

“It’s an expensive project and very demanding, but we are equal to the task as our staff are out there daily to ensure we deliver”

On the same operational focus in other parts of Lagos, the area manager noted that the project would be extended to Badagry and Apapa water channels, noting that the Ikorodu water channel was most critical as the weeds spread to other parts of Lagos littoral communities.