Re: Sunk Barge: Chemical pollution threatens Marine life at Mile 2 Jetty as Authorities remain silent – My Contribution

By Aare Asiwaju Haruna Omolajomo

It is very painful when I read about how Chemical pollution was  threatening the people of Mile 2, Lagos and the concerned authorities remain silent. This is very painful indeed.

First of all, I just want to believe that the concerned authorities are not aware of this menace . I know very well that they should understand the grave negative implications of the chemical pollution in our waterways let alone the Mile 2 Jetty or area.

Mile 2 generally is  not only  densely populated but it is also  industrial area that accommodate fishing and related activities. These are food related items that are for human consumption.

It is a known fact that Chemical pollution is the contamination of air, water or soil with harmful chemicals that are naturally present leading to adverse effects on human health, wildlife and ecosystems.  The fact that we are in rainy season and  the persistent rain is making the said  chemicals in the sunken barges to seep into the river in Mile 2 should be a concern to the authorities concerned. I thought that our Marine police, Customs Marine , NIMASA and NIWA ought to have seen this and urgently address the menace. Are they no longer patrol our waterways?

What are those affected  industries or terminal Operator of that jetty doing to ensure the evacuation of such dangerous chemicals?

To those who don’t know , the great and severe effects of chemical pollution are many . Facts have shown that chemical pollution in our rivers contaminates water leading to severe harm for aquatic life and human beings through bioaccumulation, reproductive damage and habitat degradation . It can cause harmful algal blooms and depleting oxygen by triggering genetic mutilations in organism. These can enter human food chains to cause severe health challenges like cancer, deformities and hormonal imbalances . It can also cause waterborne diseases etc.

On this note, I wish to sincerely appeal to all concerned authorities as a matter of urgency to kindly  attend to this menace . The agencies or the Concerned authorities are mainly the Health Pollution officers from the Nigeria Ports Authority ( NPA) , NIWA, NIMASA and Marine Police.

Besides, the concerned owners should be made to remove these harmful chemicals immediately. The sunken barges should as well be moved out of the Jetty.

All the concerned authorities should investigate and determine who erred in allowing these dangerous chemicals to be on the sunken barges. If found wanting or action seen as act of negligence should be punished accordingly to serve as deterrent for others. Besides, all the concerned authorities should never  neglect their primary assignment of monitoring and enforcing safety laws in all jetties .

Aare Asiwaju Haruna Omolajomo is the Managing Director of Harsecom Logistics Limited