Lagos State Government Seeks More Investors in Ferry Services

The Lagos State Government has appealed to stakeholders to invest in the ferry services to improve waterways systems in the state.

The Managing Director, Lagos Ferry Services (Lagferry), Mr Ladi Balogun, made the plea during the Stakeholders meeting held in Ojo Local Government in Lagos on Tuesday.

Balogun said the state government under the leadership of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu had purchased more additional seven ferries in other to promote water transport.

The managing direcror said Sanwo-Olu had given all the Water Guard contract to full civil servant adding that the government would increase employment of Indigenes around the riverine areas.

“Since the commencement of the Lagferry operates in February 2020, we have been operating from Ebute in Ikorodu, Ojo, Liverpool Apapa,, CMS – Apapa to Ebute-Ero, and we need to increase our ridership.

“We need to improve advocacy and more people should be aware of their potentials that we are committed and the effort of the governor for improving on water transport and usage in Lagos.

“Government cannot do it alone because the capital to satisfy 20 million Lagos residents is not so easy by the government.

“That is why we need resources mobilisation by the private sector to collaborate with government to reduce use of road transportation,” he said.

Balogun said the sensitisation exercise would improved attitude of Ojo residents towards water transport.

The Operations Manager, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) Mr Ibrahim Fahm, said that the state government had restrict water movement from 6am to 6pm to improve safety of water transport passenger.

Fahm who represented the General Manager, LASWA, Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, said government ban night water operations because most of the boats do not have two operative engine and other navigational equipment.

Emmanuel said that in availability of related equipment could lead to boat capsized and that was the reasons government ban night operation while promising to extend clearly of water hyacinth to other areas in the state.

The Chairman, Ojo Local Government, Mr Rasulu Idowu, assured the Lagferry management of their support to spread the awareness to residents in Ojo to improve patronage on water systems.

Idowu said he would ensure stakeholders from Ojo invest in water transport to help in reducing road usage and also call for more use of barges to takeoff truck on Ojo axis.

Dr Ogo Ugboma, School of Transport, Lagos State University (LASU), said she usually spent more that six hours on road transport from Festac to the institution.

Ugboma commended the state government for introducing LAGFERRY and spent less than 20 minutes from Mile 2 to Ojo.

She promised to improve on advocacy saying that from her research, more than eight million commuters ply Lagos road on daily basis while encouraging patronage to improve to six million to reduce traffic on the road.

The Secretary of the Student Union of LASU, Mr Isaiah Kuku pleaded with the government to reduce the ferry fare to enable students across the state to ply the water transport and avoid lateness to lecture room.

His royal Highest, Oba Abideen Durosimi, asked government to employ their children who operates canoe to be trained to the status of Captains and Deckhand.