By Hauwa Ali
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA has
announced its plans to deploy high-resolution magnetometer to assess the
on-going wreck removal exercise of all identified wrecks listed for removal
along the Badagry Creek in Lagos.
The Agency’s Director General, Dr Bashir Jamoh disclosed this in a press
statement on Monday.
Jamoh stated that the impact of the entire exercise on the marine
environment is going to be assessed by the Agency through the use of sonar
imagery system to detect existing obstacles lying on the seabed.
“We shall also conduct a full bottom sweeping operation by deploying sonar
imagery system with a view to establishing any existing natural or artificial
obstacles lying on the seabed within the area of survey for this phase of the
wreck removal exercise.
“NIMASA is also taking into consideration, the impact of the entire
operations on the marine environment with a view to ensuring safety of
marine lives. We are monitoring the entire exercise closely to guarantee total
removal of all identified wrecks” He said.
Amongst those already removed include a completely submerged Barge
which was lying over 10 meters deep along the Badagry channel on
coordinates 711006.1 Easting and 535294.9 Northing.
The Agency has also successfully removed two other completely submerged
barges beneath the water at 530924.9 Northing and 710608.3 Easting.
Another completely submerged Barge which has been lying dangerously
along the channels on 711617.5 Easting and 533601.6 Northing has also
been successfully removed and taken to the dumpsite located in Kirikiri
Lagos.
There are also identified wrecks removed along the creek from Tin-Can
Island to Navy Town.
NIMASA had worked with the Hydrography Department of the Nigerian
Navy to identify these wrecks as critical.
“We worked closely with the Hydrography Unit of the Nigerian Navy in
charting the waters and establishing these wrecks as critical for immediate removal. Some are completely submerged while others are partially
submerged.
“This Badagry creek is a commercial route with passenger vessels plying and
we place a premium on safety of lives and properties.
“ We are confident that on completion, operations of the Navy in patrolling
our waters will also be enhanced as the routes will be free of wrecks”. He
said.
