The issues of rickety and overloaded passenger boats have remained a challenge for waterways transportation in Lagos. In this report, TOLA ADENUBI x-rays the activities of the Lagos State Ferry Service Corporation vis-a-vis its mandate in its first 1,000 days of operations.
When the Lagos State Ferry Service Corporation, popularly known as LAGFERRY, was relaunched for commercial operations in February 2020, the state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was not ambiguous in his statement conveying his administration’s desire for a vibrant waterways transportation system.
The Lagos State governor had made it clear at the Badore and Ajah Eti-Osa’s terminuses that LAGFERRY was relaunched to serve as a viable transport business on the state’s waterways by effectively commuting Lagos residents and visitors alike on daily basis.
Sanwo-Olu added that the reliability and effectiveness of general transportation system with water transportation as an integral part, is one of his administration’s cardinal plans for the over 20 million Lagosians in the state.
To this end, the management of LAGFERRY immediately swung into action, coming up with initiatives to truly transform the water transportation sub-sector as part of the projections for Lagos becoming a smart-city in no time.
Though, its activities, just like other companies globally, were greatly affected by the Corona Virus outbreak, which put almost all economic activities around the world on hold for many months, the company returned to business fully later.
1,000 days of commuting
Now, it has taken stock of its activities in its first 1,000 days of operations including the period of COVID-19, describing the journey as an eventful one.
The Managing Director of LAGFERRY, Honourable Abdoulbaq Ladi Balogun, in a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune, highlighted the major activities of the company, its mode of operations, achievements, challenges and the future plans, among others.
According to him, “Water transportation in Lagos, which is the economic hub of Nigeria, has a deep historical root, starting with the traditional watercrafts such as canoes and fishing boats commonly used especially in the riverine communities.
“With the rapid urbanisation and population growth in the state over the years, water transportation, which was once at a backseat against road and railway transportation, became necessary and consequently began to gain prominence among commuters within the state.”
Giving an insight, Mr Balogun traced the recent journey to the 1970s when Lagos was still Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) was operating ferry services in Apapa, CMS, Ebute-Ero and few other locations and the period of Lateef Jakande in the 80s when his administration purchased ferry boats, named ‘Baba Kekere’ and ‘Ita Faji,’ enrouting between Mile 2, Apapa, CMS and Ebute-Ero.
“Similarly, the administration of Babatunde Fashola inaugurated a ferry service operating from terminals that included Ebute Ojo (now Sifax Terminal), Ipakodo in Ikorodu, Badore and Osborne in Okoyi with two units of 54 pax aluminum boats while the administration of Akinwunmi Ambode also inaugurated Ilaje Bariga Waterfront Terminal with four units catamaran boat and one car barge, named ‘Adamu Orisa.’
“But today, under the current administration of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, LAGFERRY is operating from 16 terminals and jetties with 19 commercial boats across 24 routes with additional 15 terminals and jetties coming on the way,” the LAGFERRY boss added.
Balogun explained that the essence of the new efforts and transformation is to expand waterways transport in the state and provide safe, effective, reliable and affordable services to the people of the state and visitors alike in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S PLUS agenda of the current administration.
He said the belief is that the provision of viable and effective water transport option for Lagosians and visitors would not only ease the heavy traffic on roads and railways in the state but would as well save peoples’ time, boost their lifespan and performance at workplace, boost general commerce and tourism and employment generation and income.
He said the agency has been able to attract patronage from all walks of life including corporate office workers, business people, government officials, tourists and fun seekers patronising LAGFERRY during working days and on weekends unlike in the past where most passengers were traders and low-income earners.
He pointed out that it was not only that passengers currently enjoy 25 percent rebate on their routes as palliative and derive pleasure in commuting with LAGFERRY fleets across its terminal and jetties, passengers’ safety are equally paramount in the hearts of both the management and all workers.
“Though we don’t pray for accident to happen, we make it mandatory for our passengers to wear life jackets while we also have close circuit television (CCTV) cameras that monitor activities of the company and passengers from our e-fleet command centre at a particular location that I won’t want to make public for safety reason,” Balogun stated.
Accidents and safety efforts
Balogun, however, mentioned that the company, which conveys over one million passengers on the average and operating e-ticketing, recorded only one accident without loss of life during the period under review and has insurance policy coverage for all its passengers on board.
He noted that the CCTV cameras were one of the facilities recently installed in addition to the construction of a state-of-the-art modern floating pontoon at CMS-Marina on the Island.
Challenges
“Expectedly, it is not that ‘all is well’ in terms of LAGFERRY operations for the past 1,000 days. The company also grapples with its own challenges just like many other companies, government or privately owned.
“LAGFERRY is also confronted with challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, encroachment on waterways, insufficient public awareness, insufficient boats/ferries and the need for increased security and safety measures,” the LAGFERRY boss stated.
He was quick to point out that these challenges are being addressed both by the company and the government even as the company also intensifies collaborations with relevant stakeholders in the water transport industry including the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
He said there is a future plan on ground to make the company perform optimally and better serve commuters in Lagos State.
“LAGFERRY would continue to be a model for water transportation not only in Lagos and across Nigeria but in sub-Saharan Africa,” Mr Balogun added.
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