Gboyega Akinsanmi
25 October 2007
Lagos — Water hyacinth recently resurfaced again on the territorial waters of Lagos. Its growth has trapped more than 200 lives around Epe and endangered the means of livelihood of those who eke their living through navigation, fishing and marine activities. But experts argue the plant could serve better agricultural, economic and industrial purposes.
It was a bright Monday morning when all Lagosians were rushing to their respective workplaces. Mr. Clark Odigie, an Ijaw from a Lagos riverine area woke up with high expectations to make a difference that week for no other well-defined reasons than raising funds for his children's tuition fees and his family's upkeep. He was an experienced fisherman.
That bright morning, he set out his programme for the week due to some exigencies he was expected to meet at home. His children just resumed a new session late September, and he was expected to perform his filial duties and obligations as the head of the family of five. But the growth of water hyacinths disrupted his plan and activities for the week.
He stood aloof on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean close to Bariga area of Lagos, looking so confused, disturbed and worried. He was still disturbed when THISDAY approached him at the seaside at Ilaje, Bariga, a historical home of fishermen. He could not sail into the sea to fish that day. He was looking far into the sea, perhaps thinking of what to do next to meet up his family needs.
Asked why he was looking tense and worried, Odigie could not utter a word. Rather he slowly stressed his right hand, explaining in action how water hyacinth, a wild plant that normally grows on the face of seas, disrupted his plan and threatened his family welfare and education. He described it as the wild dream of those who earn their livings on the continental shelves.
Finally, he said: "Why the return of this plant, oh God?" But it was apparent that he was talking to himself and not as such conscious of what was happening around him and who was standing beside him. He turned back disappointed like it happened to him previous years, though this time his countenance showed that he had accepted the defeat the plant brought him.
He accepted his fate and welcomed THISDAY, though deep sigh of concern. This time, he was anxious to vent out his disappointment, which he explained is caused by the poor policy response and lacklustre attitude of governments at all levels to team up and save the livelihood of local fishermen, canoe and ferry operators among others from the threat of water hyacinth.
He said he had been residing in this part of Lagos for two decades with his wife, children and two members of extended families comfortable and satisfied with what he earns per day from fishing. He however, added that water hyacinth "has been a major threat the fishermen and canoe operators in the area have faced over the years at least for a period of three or four months yearly.
He claimed he's been used to the growth of water hyacinth over the years. But he stated that he wished the plant did not exist because "each time the plant resurfaces, it normally grinds fishing, navigating and trading activities on the sea to a halt for more than three or four months whenever the plant grows up in the continental shelves of the Atlantic Ocean and causes collateral damage to human lives, sea inhabitants; and disrupts economic activities.
"Prior Friday, this plant has not grown wide and wild. But in the space of two to three days, the entire face of continental selves has been covered up. I knew it would soon resurface on the Atlantic Ocean, but never knew it could disrupt programme as quickly as this. This plant is hostile, terrible and wild, causing months of nightmare to all fishermen.
"Like other fishermen, for months, we will not be able to work because the plant will hinder navigation and economic activities. It means we will be idle for this period. This is the only business we know. We eke our daily living and take care of our families. Though lucrative, what we earn here is only enough for our upkeeps because we are peasants," Odigie explained.
While narrating his ordeal to THISDAY, he was so enraged that he berated the Lagos State Government for failing to do something about the seasonal growth of water hyacinth in their economic zones. He explained the fishing peasants "lack capacity to clear the plant off the face of continental waters. It requires a major assistance of government. But we are not getting it."
Just before THISDAY investigation into the plight of fishermen in Bariga, a passenger ferry was trapped for more than twelve hours in Epe area of Lagos. The ferry had more than 200 passengers on board. But unknown to its captain, it ran into a massive cluster of water hyacinths, an error which reports said affected the two engines of the ferry.
Engineers on board of the ferry worked on the engines until they opted for rescue operations. A witness told THISDAY that those who were trapped on the sea could not be rescued until twelve hours later. The witness further attributed this delay to poor marine rescue operations, lack of marine rescue experts and poor policy response to address this kind of emergency.
Professor Albert Aweto, an expert in soil and vegetation at the University of Ibadan expressed concern over the rapid growth of water hyacinth and poor policy response to the problems the plant normally generates whenever it rears heads on the territorial waters.
Aweto described water hyacinth as an insidious plant with capacity to wreak profound havoc on sea inhabitants and economic activities of the residents of the riverine areas. He said the plant "grows more rapidly and quickly. It covers up the bodies of waters within the shortest period of time."
He explained the socio-economic implications of the plant for the state and household. "Water hyacinth prevents lights from entering into the body of territorial waters, and this allows some microscopic organisms, whose existence may be injurious to sea inhabitants, to develop. Since the plant covers up the body of waters, it reduces the level of oxygen and release of more cabondoxide and alcohol in the body of sea, thus leading to destruction of sea inhabitants.
"It also impedes navigation like the case of those who were trapped in Epe recently. It also hinders riverine people from making a living. It destroys sea inhabitants, and indirectly causes ripple effects on the national economy because the means of living of some people is affected," he said.
While Aweto called on the governments to get involved in clearing the plant from the face of territorial waters, he explained that water hyacinth is "useful for different purposes." He made reference to Jire Adeoye, a professor of agronomy in the same university. He said Adeoye had done excellent work on the conversion of water hyacinths for the use of human beings.
"Adeoye has developed organo-mineral fertilisers. It is very rich and useful for agriculture. The plant can also be sun-dried and preserved to feed domestic animals like goats, cow and sheep among others. Water hyacinth, if cleared, can be used for other purposes," Aweto explained.
He pointed out that peasant fishermen lacked capacity to remove the water hyacinth because of its resilient nature. Unlike some people claimed, he said the plant "does not just naturally disappear from the territorial waters, though during rainy season it could be drifted from the territorial zones. This is the only period water hyacinth may be seen around."
Aweto canvassed for government support to clear this sea weed because it requires huge sum of money to clear water hyacinth from the face of territorial waters. He said government should invest in it because it can earn huge revenues and generate more employments by converting water hyacinth to other economic and agricultural use.
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