The Lagos Ferry Services Company (LAGFERRY) says it is yet to extend services to Badagry because of activities of sand dredgers and shallowness of the water body in the area.
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LAGFERRY Chief Executive, AbdoulBaq Balogun, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday that wreckages were also impending its full operations on Lagos waterways.
NAN reports that none of the 14 new LAGFERRY boats launched on Feb. 4 at Obadore, Ajah, to strengthen inland waterways transport and make commuting in the state easier was deployed to Badagry.
“For instance we have got a lot of offers, patronage potential or customers in Badagry.
“We have not been able to explore Badagry well because the water channel to Badagry is till very shallow as it is in a couple of areas too.
“Within the Ojo axis, the activities of sand miners – the dredgers always pose a problem to us because they have blocked the channel where the boats are supposed to ferry,” said the LAGFERRY boss.
He said that dredging of Lagos waterways had become very imperative in order to develop water transport as a credible alternative in the state.
“Among challenges we are having is about the dredging of the waterways; we have a lot of wreckage on the waterways that we need to remove and we have some shallow areas in the water that need to be dredged,” he said.
According to him, the state has world class standard jetties where all sizes of boats can berth with all safety measures put in by the government for the safety of commuters and boat operators.
On waterways security, Balogun advised both the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to redouble efforts on security architecture on waterways.
“Security-wise, LASWA is there as our regulator, NIWA is there as our federal regulator. The two of them need to cooperate and come together to see that the security architecture on waterways and costal lines are all provided.
“There are some things they have put together but I think they need to do more so that phobia will be completely erased and everybody will be able to come on board,” Balogun, a former lawmaker said.
He said that safety on waterways and security at jetties and terminals sometimes made some people not wanting to leave their vehicles at home or at jetties to board ferries.
Balogun said that people still had phobia on the standard of boats being used on waterways before the coming of LAGFERRY.
He said that LAGFERRY was providing the best comfort, convenience and safe ferry operation on waterways.