* From left in yellow life jacket, Media and Tourism Consultant Frank Meke, Chairman, Chairman of Association of Tourists Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON), Badagry Branch, Tope Fajemirokun and other members of the association on a boat ride to Badagry
…Say Passenger Traffic On Marina–Badagry Route Has Increased Tremendously
…Business Created Over 5,000 Jobs
The Chairman of Association of Tourists Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON), Badagry Branch, Tope Fajemirokun has appealed to both the Federal and State Government to support the association by dredging the waterways and providing world class jetties in the Badagry, the Nigeria hub of tourism.
This is just as he also urged them to assist members in securing standard boats to further boost water transportation in the area.
He made the appeal while speaking to a select journalists in Port Novo, Benin Republic , after a -See- For -Yourself tour of the jetties in Badagry and how the government support can further make water transport to thrive and further encourage investors to invest.
He added that he and his members do not have the capacity to develop the water transport in Badagry alone , as it requires huge funds to provide infrastructure and standard boats .
The Chairman, Badagry Chapter of ATBOWATON),said that it is when standard jetties are constructed for use by boat operators , that both local and foreign investors would like to invest.
According to him, “As an investor we cannot do it alone. We need both the Federal and state governments to support and invest in water transport in Badagry. We need the government’s presence in Badagry to develop water transport and make the ancient city comparable to other cities in the world”
“We need the government to come and invest in some areas , If you look at the kind of boat we are using now, to me it is not too safe. We need the National Inland Water Authority(NIWA, Lagos State Water Authority(LASWA), Navy and Nigeria Police ,we need their full presence in Badagry. We need world class jetties in Badagry, we want them to come and dredge the water ways.We want them to come and collaborate with us in terms of safety ,security among other things.”
He said that since Badagry is not only a riverine area but also a border town to Benin Republic , water transport has taken a new dimension as people now prefer to take boat from Marina to Badagry that is much faster than to go through road transport and be trapped in hold up , occasioned by bad roads .
On whether, the business has improved in view of the fact people living in riverine areas, Badagry and Porto Novo now prefer to abandon road transport and take to water transport, Fajemirokun said, said the boat operator started at about eight years ago with only one boat with five passengers from Marine to Badagry for almost two months but that presently, after four years ,the route has witnessed increase in passenger volume as close to 45 boats now operate from Marine to Badagry.
“Now from Lagos everyday , we have over 100 boats going and coming .The boats will stop at Abule-Osun,Ijegun,Kirikiri, Liverpool,Ebute Ero,even up to Makoko. Then coming back,we have Epe ,Whispering Palm, Majido, Topo,Marina,Gao and Apa
“The traffic from Lagos to Badagry has increased tremendously,” he said
Fajemirokun, said that if both the Federal and State governments can provide standard jetties starting from Marina to Badagry and help to secure zero interest loans , it would further boost water transportation in Badagry in particular and Lagos state in general in view of its huge potential.”
Fajemirokun, said that if both the Federal and State governments can provide standard jetties starting from Marina to Badagry and help to secure zero interest loans , it would further boost water transportation in Badagry in particular and Lagos state in general in view of its huge potential.”
On the efforts ATBOWATON has made to ensure that these infrastructure and equipment are provided, he said though the association’s meeting with critical stakeholders have not yielded all the desired results, the group has however been given approval to develop Marina Jetty.
ATBOWATON, he assured, would continue to talk to them and to let them see reasons why water transport in Badagry must be invested in to develop.
He also disclosed that based on the approval given to the association to develop Marina Jetty by the authority , the association met with two commercial banks; GTB and Bank of the North, who have shown interests in the project , adding that proposals have been submitted to these entities .
Water transport business in Badagry, he said, has created over 5,000 jobs, adding with further investment by governments and private investors, the number will increase.
Speaking on capacity building, Fajemirokun said that the association has trained about 400 of its members to assist them in doing the business effectively and diligently.
On the security situation in Marina–Badagry, it was observed during the tour that the security on the route was water tight, as men of the Nigeria Navy, Marine Police, Nigeria Customs Service(NCS) were seen at their various checkpoints checking the boats operating on the route to ensure non is carrying contraband or dangerous goods.
Further observation by Abelnewsng.com indicates that virtually, all the boat operators know themselves, which means it would be difficult to commit crime on the route.
