The Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, has unveiled plans to expand water transportation infrastructure, improve ferry services and integrate waterways with the state’s road and rail networks.
Hamzat disclosed the proposals as part of his 100-point campaign manifesto, which includes the planned dredging of an additional 140 kilometres of water corridors under the proposed Omi Eko initiative.
He also pledged to optimise 15 ferry routes and refurbish 27 of Lagos State’s 47 ferry terminals to improve water transportation and increase passenger movement.
The APC candidate further proposed the procurement of 75 electric vessels as part of efforts to strengthen the state’s water transport system.
According to him, the proposed interventions are aimed at maximising the use of Lagos waterways as an alternative transport network, given the state’s geography and persistent road traffic congestion.
Hamzat also promised to establish an integrated transportation system connecting rail, road and water services through a unified ticketing arrangement.
“What this does is that it allows us to move more water. Lagos, we must know, is a water state. The lagoon must therefore be our third highway. One ticket, one turntable, one integrated service across rail, road, and water,” he said.
Meanwhile, boat operators in the state have urged the incoming administration to introduce subsidies for boat engines and flexible repayment arrangements to support operators whose businesses have been affected by faulty engines, damaged boats and other operational challenges.
They also called for the construction of more jetties, provision of fuel stations and increased financial support to strengthen water transportation and the state’s blue economy.
The Deputy Chairman of the Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON), Lagos State Chapter, Babatunde Segun, said operators faced difficulties due to inadequate jetties, forcing some to travel long distances to access suitable operating locations.
He stressed the need for more government interventions, particularly in remote communities where access to jetties and fuel stations remained limited.
Segun identified financial assistance as another major concern, explaining that some operators had lost their boats or were struggling with faulty engines, affecting their livelihoods and ability to operate.
He appealed to the government to provide engine subsidies and flexible repayment arrangements to help affected operators rebuild their businesses and resume operations.
The ATBOWATON deputy chairman also called for sustained attention to waterway safety, security, youth employment and tourism development.
He said investment in these areas would create employment opportunities, improve passenger safety and reduce pressure on the state’s roads.
Similarly, the founding National Chairman of ATBOWATON, Dr Tarzan Balogun, urged the government to prioritise passenger safety, warning that accidents on the waterways could discourage patronage and weaken public confidence in water transportation.
Balogun also called for sustained collaboration among the federal, state and local governments to address the challenges facing the sector.
