‘Absence Hydrographic Survey Will Push up Freight Cost’

Commodore Joseph Abulu, Nigeria’s former Hydrographer, has warned that government’s inability to carry out a hydrographic survey after the last one in 1933, will continue to push up the cost of cargo freight. Abulu said that the absence of current charts which has been produced from a new hydrographic exercise has made foreign vessels to see the country’s territorial waters as dangerous and unsafe and have based their freight charges on these factors.

Speaking to Vanguard in an exclusive interview, the former Naval Chief said that the cost of executing an hydrographic exercise cannot be taken by the Nigerian Navy. He added that in other countries, the government funds such projects, noting that all maritime activities depend on hydrographic survey, the Navy cannot function without it.

His words: ‘It is like having road before you can send a vehicle to carry goods, Hydrography creates the way at sea for ships to sail, otherwise the ship will be sailing blindly’. Abulu sees it as a government’s responsibility to survey the waters and stated that a chart is supposed to be done every year and a re-survey carried out every five to ten years. Abulu who is also candidate for the directorship of the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) said that should Nigeria win any of the offices, it will not only attract foreign investment, it will also increase the pace of maritime activities in the country as Nigeria could be considered as regional centre in the sub-region.