Stakeholder commends Nigerian Marine Police for Safe waterways

The Nigerian Marine Police have been commended for devoting adequate hours policing Lagos waters towards ensuring the safety of operators, users and properties on the waterways.

Tarzan Boat Company Ltd Managing Director Mr Ganiyu Balogun, who gave the applause said, “Boat operators have not lodged any complaint about stolen boats in the last few months.

“There is no record of sea pirates attack in Lagos in the last one year,” he said.

Balogun recalled that about 10 years ago, more than seven boats worth millions of naira were stolen by pirates and to date none has been recovered.

“Since that time up till now, I have not experienced stolen boat, the marine police are on top of their duty by patrolling the waterways regularly,” he said.

Balogun called on relevant authorities to come to the aid of the marine police by providing them with needed logistics to enable them to continue to discharge their duties on waterways effectively.

Balogun said that water transportation business was a serious business that required seriousness and attention from both the government and operators.

“Government should pay attention to water transportation as they take road and air transportation seriously.

“For a state like Lagos, the government needs to pay attention to water transportation as an alternative means of transport to the road.

“This development will help to decongest traffic on the road.”

According to him, water transportation is capital intensive to maintain boats.

He equates investment in marine transport to that of air transport business, saying boat engines and other elements that go with it were very expensive to acquire.

“It is almost like operating aircraft business with functional airports, just as water transportation requires functional jetties and terminals across the state.

“There is a need for government to provide soft loans as incentives to operators to ease their funding challenges.

“Because it is capital intensive to run a successful boat transport business.

“There is the need for Public, Private, Partnership (PPP),” he said.

Balogun, however, commended National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and Lagos State Water Authority (LASWA) for ensuring smooth operations on the waterways.