SANWO-OLU Launches Seven New High Capacity Boats to Boost Water Transportation

SANWO-OLU LAUNCHES SEVEN NEW HIGH CAPACITY BOATS TO BOOST WATER TRANSPORTATION

Governor Approves Premium Insurance Cover on Passenger Using State Owned Ferries

We now Have Capacity to Move 710 Commuters per Trip – LAGFERRY MD

Lagos State is rapidly turning to an urban city like the most developed cities in the world. The rising demand of water transportation by the people of Lagos state got a boost by the Governor of Lagos Babajide Sanwo-olu courtesy of Lagos State government.

The Governor on Tuesday expanded the capacity of the Lagos State Ferry Services (LAGFERRY) with the delivery of seven additional high capacity speed boats to shore up the agency’s fleet for rapid transit on the waterways.

Babajide Sanwo-olu kicked off the use of the maiden boats for commercial operations at the events held at the administrative yard of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) Five Cowries Terminal in Falomo Ikoyi Lagos.

The events portrayed the THEMES slogan of Sanwo-Olu’s administration. The Governor also launched the Cowry Card into operation for passengers to be using digital payments for water transportation. This venture is to ensure a digital forward integration for all the state’s transport scheme into a single digital architecture. The model further ensures a thorough automated payment system for LAGFERRY services. With Cowry Card a customer could enjoy all the state transportation services, BRT, LAGFERRY and the rail lines which would soon be part of Lagos state transport ecosystem.

The traffic congestion of Lagos state would be allayed by LAGFERRY. The water transport scheme through the services of LAGFERRY has moved over 500,000 passengers in the previous years with 14boats. The governor’s commitment in ensuring improved efficiency for the agency has prompted his administration to increase the capacity of the boats. The additional boats added to the fleet’s agency would covey 1million passengers on Lagos waterways yearly.

The Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu was ably represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, who reiterated the procurement of the new boats was in the fulfillment of the Government’s pledge to boost the fleet of LAGFERRY and increase its capacity to transport more Lagosians daily in order to reduce traffic congestion on the road.

He further stated: “ The impressive performance of LAGFERRY in the last one year is an indication of the growing confidence of the residents in the water transportation. This justifies our decision to procure additional boats to enhance LAGFERRY’s operations capacity to meet the transportation demands of its teeming passengers. The procurement of these new high capacity boats is in fulfillment of our promise to double the number of boats in the fleet of LAGFRRY and increase its capacity to reduce traffic congestion on the roads.”

“We are also launching the Cowry Card for water transportation to create seamless payment scheme for our Multimodal Transportation System, which is gradually taking shape as we have commenced the integration of our rail lines, bus terminal and waterways. I am pleased to inform you that we are already witnessing positive outcomes from our investment in the safety and viability of our waterways as a safe alternative to road transportation.”

The Governor said the Government was currently undertaking the construction and rehabilitation of 15 jetties across the state as well as embarking on the dredging of the Lagos lagoon to open up more routes in waterway transportation.

An enhanced LAGFERRY’s operations, Sanwo-Olu said, would help the State Government to promote tourism and boost commerce by providing logistics solution to business owners seeking to move their trucks and cargoes through the waterways within Apapa and through regular charter services.

He said Government alone could not be the value provider in the water transportation sector, noting that there were countless economic opportunities to be explored in the area. The Governor invited investors in the private sector to join in the efforts to strengthen waterways infrastructure.

He later said: “I assure you that we will continue to support private sector participation in water transportation by putting in place the most appropriate regulatory framework for high returns on investment. We have significantly upgraded the capacity of our regulatory agency, LASWA to adequately cater the needs of passengers with safety of being our topmost objectives.”

“Plans are underway to boost safety measures and protocols with the deployment of installation of technological devices for improved navigations, the development of nautical charts and purchase of state-of-the art patrol boats and safety equipment to upgrade LASWA’s SAR unit.  We remain committed to developing modern waterways transport, as well as carry out constant monitoring and enforcement patrol of the inland waterways.”

Commissioner of Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladehinde said the Government’s approach to solving the State’s transportation gap was to adopt all-round approach which is cognizance of the development of all modes of transportation.

“The ongoing Transport Sector reform is aimed at boosting the water transportation as a genuine modal option which allows the people to drop their cars and commute by ferries” the commissioner said.

Managing Director and Chief Executive officer of LAGFERRY, Hon. Abdoulbaq Balogun said the State- owned operator which commenced its operations in February 2020, had a mandate to move 30% of commuters through the waterways. With the addition to the fleet, he said the agency scaled up its carrying capacity of 710 passengers per trip.

Since inception, Balogun said LAGFERRY had not recorded any accident, but had raised the standard of the ferry operations on the State’s waterways. He said all passengers on the LAGFERRY boats now enjoy insurance cover on all trips.

He said:” After 317 days of operations, LAGFERRY has ferried over 524,000 passengers through the waterways with an increasing daily average passenger flow of over 1,500. A total 12- seater boats have collectively ran 7,061 hours spanning 286,280 kilometers for 10,182 trips.

“The Sanwo-Olu administration is deepening the usage of water transportation with the procurement and activation of seven new boats built by local boat builders. The boats are built to international standard and equipped with modern gadgets, such as wifi, GPS, Echo Sounder, VHF Radio, USB Charging ports, 13amp sockets, television and radio, toolbox, First Aid box, and fire extinguishers,”

Balogun led Dr. Hamzat and members of the State Executive Council on the inaugural trips in the new boats after they were officially launched by the Deputy Governor.

The new boats launched include two units of 50-seater and five units of 30-seater, with one utility, boat for operational purposes. They will operate on all approved routes for LAGFERRY, and passengers are to use the Cowry Card for payment of the ferry services.