Our Reporter
LAGOS State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat says the government’s successes in water transport with 14 locally-built boats it recently deployed, gave hope of doing more.
LAGFERRY boats were inaugurated on February 4 at Obadore, Ajah, to strengthen inland waterways transportation.
Hamzat told NAN that the government was determined to develop water transport and harness water potential for economic growth. “We need the water, not just to farm, but also for transportation.
“That is why the Lagos State Government procured those 14 boats.
“You need to see how successful they are, not in terms of money, but in terms of movement.
” We hope to do another set so that it will encourage the private sector to start to look at it,” he said.
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The deputy governor said that the 14 boats were being used to convey people comfortably.
According to him, since much economic activities in the state are on the Island, many residents on costal line can take advantage of the waterways to get to their destinations to reduce pressure on roads.
He said: “We have to decide what we need to do to improve on it. We can buy bigger boats so that instead of four trips, for instance, we will take two trips and transport the same number of people.
”The good things that we have done are that all the boats were actually built in Nigeria.
“Of course, we brought in the engine but we have been able to develop capacity to build boats, providing job opportunities.
“We don’t want to give jobs to other countries by keeping importing things into Nigeria.”
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