The Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority, Dr George Muoghalu, has said the clearing of wrecks from the nation’s waterways is a regular exercise because “wrecks are not fixed things.”
According to him, since wrecks are by nature mobile, it is impossible to completely clear them off the waterways. He disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent.
He explained that wrecks could take any form, including that of a broken-down vessel. He added that water hyacinths cannot be considered as wrecks but seasonal aquatic plants.
Muoghalu said, “Wrecks are not fixed things, the move around. You can remove the wrecks today and tomorrow they are back.
Read Also:
“So, nobody can say that the wreck that was there two years ago is still there, that is wrong. A wreck is an object that should not be on the waterway but is on the waterway. It could be a broken-down vessel, an iron or whatever.
“It is not a permanent thing, it is not a permanent feature, water hyacinths are not wrecks. Water hyacinth is a plant that grows on water, it is seasonal.
“So even if you clear all the water hyacinths now, they would show up the following season again.
This is why clearing them is a regular thing. There is a procurement process in our agency for the annual removal of wreck and water hyacinths.”
He added that NIWA is the agency with the constitutional backing to clear wrecks from the inland waterways of the nation.
