Group Expresses Concerns Over Environmental Pollution Caused by Toxic Leakage at Mile2 Jetty
OYETOLA
By Francis Ugwoke
The Sea Empowerment and Research Center (SEREC) has raised alarm over environmental -pollution at Mile 2 Jetty following a sunken barge which cargo is leaking.
SEREC said the sunken barge has led to chemical pollution at the Mile 2 Jetty, adding that the continued rainfall has worsened toxic leakage into the waterways, threatening marine life and public health.
In a press statement, the Head of Research of SEREC, Dr. Eugene Nweke, the incident calls for immediate institutional reform of Nigeria’s barge operations.
Nweke said there is the need for the creation of a dedicated directorate under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy:
He said that independent fingings showed that industrial chemicals stacked at a “shipping terminal and nearby bridge locations have been seeping into surrounding waters, with minimal visible regulatory response”.
He said the development was a wake-up call to strengthen the governance and administrative architecture of Nigeria’s barge operations, adding that they are currently weakly coordinated across multiple agencies.
According to him, this has left gaps in safety enforcement, vessel standards, environmental control as well as emergency response.
To address the issue, SEREC advocated:
“Establish a Dedicated Directorate of Barge Operations & Logistics Services (DBOLS):
In direct response to this and similar recurring incidents, SEREC strongly advocates the creation of a Directorate of Barge Operations and Logistics Services (DBOLS) within the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy — to be headed by a Director and operationally driven by a Deputy Director of Barge Operations and Logistics Services.
This specialized Directorate would:
“ Enforce mandatory registration, inspection and certification of all commercial barges and tugs operating along Nigerian inland and coastal routes.
“ Institute safety, loading, and environmental standards for barge construction, cargo handling and waste management.
“ Develop digital traffic monitoring systems (AIS/GPS) for barge movements to prevent congestion and accidents.
“Supervise terminal licensing and pollution control through strict regulatory compliance.
“Coordinate inter-agency emergency responses to marine pollution and vessel accidents.
“Drive training and job creation through professional certification programs for barge operators, engineers, and terminal staff”.
SEREC believes that such an institutional step will not only mitigate pollution and accidents, but will also unlock massive economic and employment potentials within the maritime logistics value chain.
The statement further reads:
“ Learning from Global Best Practices
“SEREC hereby draws attention to several successful international models of inland barge administration that Nigeria can adapt:
“ India’s Inland Waterways Authority (IWAI): oversees 111 national waterways with strict vessel and terminal standards, attracting private investment through public-private partnerships and digital tracking systems.
“ United States’ Army Corps of Engineers: manages inland navigation through a centralised command and maintenance funding model that guarantees safe, efficient barge transportation.
“Netherlands (Port of Rotterdam): achieves nearly 50 percent of hinterland cargo movement by inland waterways due to strong policy incentives and standards.
“ China’s Yangtze River Commission: deploys data-driven traffic management and pollution-control systems along the busiest inland waterway in the world.
“ These models demonstrate that strong administrative coordination and dedicated funding can transform barge logistics into a strategic driver of trade and sustainable growth”.
The group charged the Minister of Marine and Blue Econony on the following:
“Tapprove the creation of the Directorate of Barge Operations & Logistics Services within the Ministry;
“. Appoint a Deputy Director to immediately coordinate safety, inspection, and logistics reforms;
“ Convene an inter-agency emergency task force to address the Mile 2 pollution and strengthen monitoring across other vulnerable terminals; and
“ Fast-track the National Barge Modernisation and Regulation Framework as a component of the broader Blue Economy agenda”.
The Sea Empowerment and Research Center (SEREC) has raised alarm over environmental -pollution at Mile 2 Jetty following a sunken barge which cargo is leaking.
SEREC said the sunken barge has led to chemical pollution at the Mile 2 Jetty, adding that the continued rainfall has worsened toxic leakage into the waterways, threatening marine life and public health.
In a press statement, the Head of Research of SEREC, Dr. Eugene Nweke, the incident calls for immediate institutional reform of Nigeria’s barge operations.
Nweke said there is the need for the creation of a dedicated directorate under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy:
He said that independent fingings showed that industrial chemicals stacked at a “shipping terminal and nearby bridge locations have been seeping into surrounding waters, with minimal visible regulatory response”.
He said the development was a wake-up call to strengthen the governance and administrative architecture of Nigeria’s barge operations, adding that they are currently weakly coordinated across multiple agencies.
According to him, this has left gaps in safety enforcement, vessel standards, environmental control as well as emergency response.
To address the issue, SEREC advocated:
“Establish a Dedicated Directorate of Barge Operations & Logistics Services (DBOLS):
In direct response to this and similar recurring incidents, SEREC strongly advocates the creation of a Directorate of Barge Operations and Logistics Services (DBOLS) within the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy — to be headed by a Director and operationally driven by a Deputy Director of Barge Operations and Logistics Services.
This specialized Directorate would:
“ Enforce mandatory registration, inspection and certification of all commercial barges and tugs operating along Nigerian inland and coastal routes.
“ Institute safety, loading, and environmental standards for barge construction, cargo handling and waste management.
“ Develop digital traffic monitoring systems (AIS/GPS) for barge movements to prevent congestion and accidents.
“Supervise terminal licensing and pollution control through strict regulatory compliance.
“Coordinate inter-agency emergency responses to marine pollution and vessel accidents.
“Drive training and job creation through professional certification programs for barge operators, engineers, and terminal staff”.
SEREC believes that such an institutional step will not only mitigate pollution and accidents, but will also unlock massive economic and employment potentials within the maritime logistics value chain.
The statement further reads:
“ Learning from Global Best Practices
“SEREC hereby draws attention to several successful international models of inland barge administration that Nigeria can adapt:
“ India’s Inland Waterways Authority (IWAI): oversees 111 national waterways with strict vessel and terminal standards, attracting private investment through public-private partnerships and digital tracking systems.
“ United States’ Army Corps of Engineers: manages inland navigation through a centralised command and maintenance funding model that guarantees safe, efficient barge transportation.
“Netherlands (Port of Rotterdam): achieves nearly 50 percent of hinterland cargo movement by inland waterways due to strong policy incentives and standards.
“ China’s Yangtze River Commission: deploys data-driven traffic management and pollution-control systems along the busiest inland waterway in the world.
“ These models demonstrate that strong administrative coordination and dedicated funding can transform barge logistics into a strategic driver of trade and sustainable growth”.
The group charged the Minister of Marine and Blue Econony on the following:
“Tapprove the creation of the Directorate of Barge Operations & Logistics Services within the Ministry;
“. Appoint a Deputy Director to immediately coordinate safety, inspection, and logistics reforms;
“ Convene an inter-agency emergency task force to address the Mile 2 pollution and strengthen monitoring across other vulnerable terminals; and
“ Fast-track the National Barge Modernisation and Regulation Framework as a component of the broader Blue Economy agenda”.
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