By Uche Usim
To help check marine pollution, African Circle Pollution Management Limited (ACPML) has procured six additional specialised garbage trucks and mini oil spill response stores to complement the ones acquired in 2014.
The move, according to the company, also seeks to actualise its mandate in the fulfilment of the provisions contained in Marine Pollution (MARPOL), one of the key conventions stipulated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
The Acting Co-ordinating Manager, ACPML, Mr. Ahmadu Fidi Ahmadu, who stated this at the formal unveiling of the trucks at Finger Jetty, Tin Can Island Port Complex (TCIP), Apapa, Lagos, recently, said they were specially built by Mercedes Benz for the company as their types are not currently in the open market. According to him, with the procurement of more trucks and other equipment, the company is placed in a vantage position to deliver its roles and responsibilities in the nation’s seaports. He added that the trucks have the capacity to compress 20 cubic metres of recyclable and non-recyclable waste.
“The mini oil spill response stores can be used on land and water by hooking it to a truck or flying boat and deploy to the scene of any oil spill. With these mini oil spill response stores, the spread of oil spill can be curtailed to avert further damage to the environment,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Executive Director, Marine and Operations of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), David Omonibeke, commended ACPML for the strides it has made since it signed the Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) agreement with the Federal Government over a decade ago.
Omonibeke who was represented at the occasion by NPA General Manager, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), Mr. Lawrence Alabi, said the Federal Government was happy that ACPML was living up to expectations in the discharge of its mandate as enshrined in the agreement.
“There is no doubt about it. You are doing well. In fact, you are one of our worthy partners in the task of fulfilling the provisions of MARPOL and we are very proud of the achievements you have made over the years. This is one of the reasons we are ready to showcase what you are doing within and outside the country. In a recent meeting at IMO Headquarters in the United Kingdom, we made it clear that we are not lagging behind in addressing the provisions of MARPOL and that we are ready to showcase what we are doing to the world, anytime, any day,” he said.