Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode

BY FRANCIS EZEM

As part of efforts to enhance the movement of persons and goods through the inland waterways and reduce pressure on the existing roads, Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has approved the construction of nine jetties in some coastal communities in the state in a move to promote water transport.

In addition to the construction of the nine jetties, the government has also concluded the channelisation of four ferry routes, which constitute the first phase of the project, even as the next four will be concluded before the end of this year. This is with a view to deepening them to enhance ease of water transport and also check carnage on the waterways within the state.

Director special projects in the Ministry of Transport of the state, Engr. Teslim Balogun, who gave the hint during a courtesy visit by the leadership of the Maritime Reporters Association MARAN, disclosed that contracts for the jetties have already been awarded, even as the nine jetties are at various stages of completion.

He also said that the of decision of the government to embark on the projects, which he described as capital intensive was informed by the need to intensify the use of water transport for the movement of larger number of people and goods with a view to complementing the predominantly road based transport system, which pile up pressure on the few available road infrastructure.

“No doubt, the population of Lagos is fast growing, so there is the urgent need to intensify and complement the use of other modes of transport to reduce predominantly road -based transport system in the state by promoting use of water transport, especially for the movement of large  in order to move larger number of people and volume of goods across the length and breadth of the state.

“Presently the special projects department is handling the channelisation of the ferry routes and the Ministry has identified about 15 routes for execution”, he also said.

Investigations however showed that the primary purpose of channelisation, which embodies dredging, is to deepen the channels since most of the water bodies in the state are shallow and so could not take big boats. Under the dredging project, the department decided to create a path of 40m width and four meters minimum depth to accommodate bigger boat movement.

“ And it cost a lot of money and that is why we have decided to do it in phases the first phase consist of just four that we are presently embarking on, and  this

The first phase made up of four channels include Ijede-Badore (6km) Bayeku –Ajah (7km)  Ebute Ojo-Marina, which is about 25km, out of which about 10km has been dredged, since the area requires a lot of dredging work, even as the Ijede-Marina is about 29km out of which only16km would be dredged.

Similarly, the remaining 11 routes include Mile2–Marina, Badore—five cowries, Ebute Ojo—Erewe, Oworonshoki –five cowries, Agboyi-Ketu, Agboyi – Oworonshoki,  Ikorodu- Oworonshoki, Mile12—Agboyi ketu, Ajah—five cowries, Oworonshonki—Ebute Ero, Bayeku—lagbansa.