The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) said it has deployed massive swamp devil machines to attack and clear pervasive water Hyacinth vegetation, which clogs navigable water channels in Ebbutte areas of Ikorodu in Lagos state.
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The project, which is a direct and proactive response by the federal water transportation regulatory agency, is strategic to keeping Lagos waterways free from encumbrances and assuring boat operators experience safe navigation.
Water hyacinth weeds rear up their fangs from October to late December, every year, a natural phenomenal occurrence that impedes boating activities and aggressively disruptive fishing activities on inland waterways across the country.
Sarat Lara Braimah, area manager of NIWA Lagos chapter, who led the water Hyacinth expedition team, disclosed that NIWA has mapped out strategic plans to tackle the menace, adding that a special team of NIWA environmental experts will be on detailed lookout for the mystery weeds to help arrest their impact before they could overrun the navigable channels in Lagos.
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She appealed to organised boat operators and water users to report any sighting of the weeds to the NIWA Lagos office, calling on stakeholders to be circumspect and obey all extant safety regulations.
