…to build more boats
The Lagos State Government is working round the clock to boost water transportation by creating safer, efficient, and sustainable strategies which are at various stages of implementation.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi stated this during a tour of the Lagos State Waterways Monitoring and Data Management Centre (WMDMC) Control Room, established by the Lagos State Waterways Authority, (LASWA) three years ago.
Affirming the purpose of the tour, the Commissioner explained that various strategies are to be implemented by the State Government to make water transportation a viable and reliable option for Lagosians.
Explaining the functions of the WMDMC control room, the General Manager of LASWA, Mr. Damilola Emmanuel stated that the control room was set up to manage movement on the Inland Waterways.
He further highlighted the sections of the WMDMC consisting of a Command-and-Control, Vessel Tracking System, Radio and Video Communication Network and Tidal Gauge Monitoring System which are all responsible for monitoring activities round the clock of the four jetty locations in Ikorodu, Ebute Ero, Liverpool and Falomo. He added that the data cameras capture real-time incidences as far as 2.5 kilometers range from the jetties checking mishaps and impediments on the waterways.
Emmanuel also disclosed that plans are underway to extend the monitored locations to five more to enhance safety on the inland waterways.
To further assess real-time safety measures on the waterways, the tour entourage which included the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Olawale Musa; LASWA boat operators, and Caverton Marine representatives, embarked on a boat ride in one of the Caverton locally made boats to Badore Ferry Terminal to inspect the boat yard where the construction of the ferries are taking place.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Olawale Musa while on the 35 minutes boat ride to Badore hinted that the State Government finds it more economical to patronising the local boat builders to build its boats which can not be compared to the higher cost of purchasing same from outside the country.
At the boat yard, the Chief Executive Officer, Caverton Offshore, Olabode Makanjuola explained that the boats were built in line with International standards and about 15 newly built boats will soon be launched and put into use in the inland waterways.