By Correspondent in Lagos
Stakeholders in transportation industry in Lagos state have been called upon to invest in ferry services to improve water transportation in the state.
The Managing Director, Lagos Ferry Services (Lagferry), Mr Ladi Balogun, made the call during a stakeholders’ meeting which took place in Ojo Local Government Area in Lagos on Tuesday.
Balogun said the Babajide Sanwo-Olub-led administration, had purchased additional seven ferries to promote water transport in the state.
Balogun, who recalled that Lagferry operation commenced operations in February 2020 in Ebute in Ikorodu, Ojo, Liverpool Apapa, CMS – Apapa to Ebute-Ero, stressed the need to increase the ridership.
According to him, Lafferty has also given to the imperative of improving advocacy to enable more people be aware of the commitment of the governor to improve water transport and usage in the state.
He, however, emphasized that improvement in transportation was a collective responsibility, adding that saying that to satisfy 20 million Lagos residents was not an easy task.
“That is why we need resources mobilisation by the private sector to collaborate with government to reduce the use of road transportation,” he said.
Balogun expressed hope that the sensitisation would improve attitude of Lagos residents toward water transport.
The Operations Manager, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mr Ibrahim Fahm, said that the state government had restricted water transport movement from 6a.m. to 6p.m. to improve the safety of ferry passenger.
Fahm, who represented the General Manager, LASWA, Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, said government banned night travel on waterways because most of the boats did not have two- operating engine and other navigational equipment.
Emmanuel,who noted that non availability of related equipment could also lead to boat capsize, promised to extend clearing of water hyacinth to other areas in the state.
The Chairman, Ojo Local Government, Mr Rasulu Idowu, assured Lagferry management of the council’s support in spreading the awareness among Ojo residents, to improve patronage of water transportation.
Idowu also promised to encourage stakeholders from Ojo to invest in water transport, to help in reducing road usage but called for the use of more barges to take trucks off Ojo axis.
Dr Ogo Ugboma, of the School of Transport, Lagos State University (LASU), who expressed concern that said she spent more than six hours on the road from Festac Town to the institution, which is just six kilometers away, lauded the state government for introducing LAGFERRY which spent less than 20 minutes from Mile 2 to Ojo.
She said that from her research, more than eight million commuters ply Lagos roads on daily basis.
The Secretary, LASU Students’ Union, Mr Isaiah Kuku, pleaded with the state government to reduce the ferry fares to enable students across the state use the water transport and avoid lateness to classes.
The Olosu of Osolu Kingdom, Oba Abideen Durosimi, urged the state government to train canoe operators in the area, for employment as ferry captains and Deckhand.
