Ambode says committed to improving water transportation

Gov.Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Friday pledged his commitment to provide critical infrastructure and enabling environment for investors to participate in the ongoing efforts to scale up water transportation.

Speaking at a roundtable on Water Transportation, organised by the state government, Ambode noted that the sector remained critical to solving the traffic congestion affecting the state.

He said that though the sector had been left unattended to over the years, the Government was nonetheless now committed more than before to fully harness the potential of water transportation to the benefit of the people and economic prosperity of the state.

Ambode said the chaotic traffic situation in some parts of the state in recent times and the pressure on the road with its attendant danger to lives and property, made the need to forge ahead with reforms in the water sector being championed by his administration even more compelling.

“The question to ask is what has brought us to this despicable situation so to speak where the only mode of transportation for over 22 million people is road and the road itself is chaotic.

“In the last three years, we have been fighting traffic and unfortunately in the last two weeks, we have seen what has happened in Apapa and what we have been trying to do.

“So, among the over 22 million people, almost 8 million are walking on the streets every second and at the same time, 86 people enter into Lagos every one hour according to United Nations statistics for 2016 which is the largest in the world.

“So, if other states are failing, more people are going to be coming to Lagos and that means maybe right now, there are 120 people entering Lagos not wanting to go back and the only mode of transportation we have for them is just the road and that is why we are coming up with other modes.

While reeling the benefits of water transportation, especially to traffic management, Ambode said it was instructive to note that being surrounded by water, many parts of the state could be connected within few minutes.

He said that major channelisation projects, shoreline protection and jetties, among others were currently being constructed as part of efforts to boost the sector.

He said in addition to ongoing efforts, the roundtable was basically to come up with sustainable framework to boost water transportation and encourage people to adopt it as alternative to other modes of transportation.

Ambode, while wooing investors to take advantage of the reforms in the water sector, said it was instructive that in the last 36 months, more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) came into the state largely due to transparency and credibility to encourage investors.

He assured that his administration would continually create the enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

Earlier, Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Ladi Lawanson, said the essence of the roundtable was to evolve effective framework in partnership with the private sector and relevant stakeholders to play up water transportation in the state.

Lawanson said this was with the view to divert a lot of pressure currently on the roads to water.

Also, Mr Ganiyu Balogun, who is the Managing Director of Tarzan Ferry Services, commended Ambode for his commitment to scale-up water transportation and harness it’s potentials for the benefit of the people.

He said stakeholders were aware of the challenges in the sector and were willing to partner with the government to address the issues in the overall benefit of the state.

Our correspondent reports that there were also presentations at the event by the University of Lagos, United States Mission in Nigeria, Trade and Investment Department of British High Commission and Paramount Maritime Holdings of South Africa.

They all expressed readiness to partner the State Government to boost water transportation.

It was also reported that the government at the roundtable also sealed a major partnership with a consortium of multi-national companies, Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance, to rid the waterways and water bodies in the state of filth with specific focus on plastic waste.

The agreement will also bring about the setting up of a world class collection and recycling framework for plastic waste in Lagos State.

The consortium, including Nigeria Bottling Company, Coca-Cola, 7-Up Bottling Company, Nestle and Nigerian Breweries among others, will be investing in boats with capacity to collect waste from the waterways.

This will thereby protect the ecosystem and boost water transportation.