Boat Owners Decry Dredging On Waterways

The Okrika Speedboat Owners Association has lamented  the dredging activities along Abuloma to Marine Base waterways, which it says pose grave danger and hazards to boat operations.
The association, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Chief   Epeyo Sunday Okari, the Secretary, Clever Atorudibo and the Public Relations Officer, Hon George Ottah stated that the dredging operations by an indigenous oil firm on the Abuloma waterway, which is also their route from Okrika to Marine Base in Port Harcourt had become of great concern and threat to marine life and people plying the route.
According to the statement, the company’s dredging equipment on the waterways poses a great danger for them and others plying the route, adding that, one of their dredging pipes that had been under the water is now made to float on the water surface, there by making navigation a problem.
It also stated that the pipe destroyed their engines and boats as well as caused accident recently, but thanked God that, no life was lost or injury sustained by the passengers on board the ill-fated speedboat.
They opined that for safety of their commuters and others plying the waterways, the company should check and control all their equipment and vessels that pose danger inorder  to avert future occurrences for the benefit of all operators of the waterways.
It also requested that, the engines and boats that were destroyed as a result of the dredging operations be replaced or repaired since there was no caution sign to direct or inform other users of the route about the danger ahead.
The statement said several letters had been sent to the company but to no avail,  the issue was also reported to the security agents including the security manager and security co-ordinator of the company in the presence of the officers and men of the Nigerian Navy.

Collins Barasimeye