By Steve Agbota
The Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association (WABOTAN) has concluded plans to approach the Lagos State Government to seek control and management of newly commissioned jetties across the waterways.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, recently commissioned four newly constructed jetties, including the Ijegun-Egba Jetty, Ilashe Jetty in Amuwo-Odofin, Isalu-Ajido Jetty and Marina Badagry Jetty.
Speaking with journalists at the association’s Secretariat in Apapa, President of WABOTAN, Comrade Babatope Fajemirokun, said the association has the capacity and manpower to manage the jetties on behalf of the government.
Comrade Fajemirokun also acknowledged the reduction in boat accidents on Lagos Waterways due to constant sensitisation and training of boat drivers by WABOTAN.
“We identify with the Lagos State Government in building these jetties, where there are good jetties, it promotes waterways safety. It also improved the look and feel of the encouragement where they are built. Above all these, you see several features in place like toilet facilities, contributing to the fight against open defecation. “WABOTAN is a major stakeholder and we feel we have a major role to play in managing these jetties.
What we seek is concessioning and any other partnership that they deemed fit to enter with us, in order to ensure that the jetties are put into profitable use and they are sustainable in terms of maintenance in cost of running the jetties.
“WABOTAN is highly experienced and capable to run these jetties. Don’t forget that we also have a registered Corporative Society regulated by the Lagos State Government, we have all it takes to run the Jetty as concessionaires.
“In fact, we have what it takes to run all the jetties, we have the experience, the manpower, including other federal jetties across Nigeria because we are national,” he said.
Also speaking, the Public Relations Officer of WABOTAN, Chief Raymond Gold, noted that training is the core of what WABOTAN does to build capacity and also improve safety on the waterways.
In terms of waterways safety, he said that WABOTAN usually unleashes sanctions on any boat driver responsible for mishaps. He said that this is in addition to whatever consequences the driver faces with regulatory agencies. “This is major reason we set up our training programmes, these are what is responsible for the zero percent of mishaps on the waterways and the level of discipline we inculcated in our members,” he said.