23rd March, 2012
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says it has removed at least 95 per cent of wrecks along the Lagos Channel.
General Manager, Public Affairs of NPA, Chief Micheal Ajayi, who disclosed this in a chat with the media said the authority has removed 21 out of the 24 identified wrecks along the channel.
“We actually have 24 wrecks to remove, but, so far we have achieved 95 percent, we have only three wrecks to go and they are working on the last three at the moment. So, we believe strongly that the three wrecks will be out of the channel and our channel will be one of the safest in Africa, and even the world,” Ajayi said.
Ajayi reiterated theNPA management’s commitment to ensure that the channels are safe and better.
In his words: “We started work in October 2010 effectively. So, it has taken us one year and three months.
The point is that we know the effect that wreck can constitute along the channel. It makes the channel unpredictable, it can cause damage to the vessels coming in; not only that, some of the vessels that are large find it very difficult to make a turn when they want to go back. So the removal of wrecks have created enough space for them to turn without any problem. And looking at the economic implications, it means that when there is a very good strong confidence in your channel, you can attract larger vessels. And we have seen it with the arrival of Maersk Calabar, Maersk Conkary that visited in May, last year; bringing about 4,500 containers. We believe that this is just the beginning.”