The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has started the clean up of the water of the Federal Oceans Terminal (FOT) in Onne, Port Harcourt, the River State capital.
The exercise is the first of such projects being executed by NPA’s Environment Department and the FOT.
Speaking on the sidelines of the kick off of the project at the Engineering Department of the Federal Lighter Terminal (FLT), Onne, the Acting Port Manager, Barbara Nchey-Achukwu, praised NPA Managing Director, Hadiza Bala-Usman, for approving the clean-up.
She said the Port Manager, Alhassan Abubakar, was aware of terminal operators’ complaints on oil pollution.
NPA, she said, would address the complaints, adding: ”I know that after this exercise, terminal operators will no longer complain to Onne Port Management of stains on their anchored vessels.”
General Manager, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) I. S. Abdulbaki said his team came to Onne Port to clean the water channels.
He said they could not ascertain the cause of the spills, but suspected that oil bunkers and waste from communities empty into the water channels.
Part of the activities, he said, was to remove debris from the waters and clean it up.
The Assistant General Manager, Environment, Khadijat Sheidu-Shabi said NPA was carrying out the clean up to improve the quality of the Port water channels. “As an Authority, we are proud to show commitment to improving the navigational water channels within Onne Port,” Sheidu-Shabi stated.
Principal Manager, and coordinator of the exercise, Uchenna Chukwuemeka said the team would use scooping nets to remove floating debris, cans and cellophane bags from the channels.
The Manager, Pollution, Onne Port, James Edet, described the team as passionate about delivering clean water in the port channel.
“We are set to achieve green Port status at Onne Port water Channel,” James said.
Leave a Reply