Gboyega Akinsanmi
2 November 2009
Lagos — Lagos State government has said it has set up a 15-man maritime anti-terrorist guard to patrol all navigational routes, waterways and territorial waters across the state against the activities of sea robbers and terrorist groups.
The state Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, had provided two patrol boats, one fire boat, one search and rescue boats, and employment of maritime security operatives to monitor safety on all Lagos jetties.
The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Opeyemi Bamidele made this known weekend, after a meeting with the management of the Lagos State Waterway Authority (LASWA) at the State Secretariat, Ikeja.
He also pointed out that the state government "is prepared to license more big ferry operators in order to give people better choice on the 21 navigational routes in the state and to technically phase out local boats".
Bamidele added that the Fashola administration has been providing required infrastructure and security to promote more investment opportunities in the waterways to complement road transportation in the state.
The Commissioner said safety "is a dominant factor in water transportation. LASWA has met with stakeholders in water transportation in the state with a view to ensuring safety. The agency has made the wearing life jackets compulsory for passengers of ferries and local boats.
"Fashola has kept his campaign promise that his government will take advantage of water resources to boost means of transportation in the state. In this light, the administration has provided two patrol boats, one fire boat, one search and rescue boats, 15 anti-terrorists guards and employment of men to monitor safety compliance on Lagos jetties," he said.
He added that LASWA has equally extended its advocacy visits to numerous riverine areas in the state to enlist the support of local boat operators, fishermen and traders on the need to maintain safety on Lagos waterways.
Bamidele said Fashola had directed LASWA to recruit water guards to enforce the use of life jackets by ferry and boat operators and that the agency in turn has placed sufficient personnel in every jetty in Lagos to disallow people without life jackets from using the state waterways.
He said water transportation "is the safest if the phobia associated with water is removed. More good ferries will soon be delivered to the state to enhance water transportation. The focus of the government is to bring in investors particularly in the manufacturing and running of big ferries".
He said the state government had directed that a standard be maintained by the LASWA on the construction of jetties across the state.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 This Day. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
