Over N25 Billion Needed to Clear Shipwrecks, Abandoned Vessels from Lagos Waterfront

The Lagos State Government said on Friday that it will cost about N25 billion to completely clear shipwrecks and abandoned vessels from the Lagos waterways.

Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructures, Prince Adesegun Oniru made the revelation while speaking at the annual ministerial press briefing in Lagos. He said that a legislation is being put together to fine and prosecute owners of abandoned vessels on the Lagos waterfront.

He said that there are over 200 shipwrecks and abandoned vessles on Lagos coastline including the lagoons. “These wrecks and vessels are responsible for some of the environmental issues faced on the state’s coastline”, he said, adding that the abandoned vessels are contributing factor to degradation of the coastlines.

Oniru said the vessels are potentially dangerous to navigation and to the health of people because of their decayed or toxic state in addition to security concerns.

According to him, the wrecks can could be hijacked by miscreants and used as hideout to perpetrate unwholesome activities.

Advertisement

On the Eko Atlantic City, the commissioner said over 5000000 square metres has been reclaimed by the end of March 2014 adding that so far 33,085,877 cubic metres of sand has been pumped since the second phase of the project started in November 2011.

He said about 250,000 commuters will live and work in the city when completed with about 150,000 commuters. He said that most of the work ongoing in the city at the moment were underground laying of cables before the emergence of physical structures.