NIWA Says Apapa Gridlock A Blessing To Revenue

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) said the debilitating traffic into and out of Apapa has bolstered its revenue as it has surpassed all its projection by raking in about 75 percent of what it made in 2004, within the first quarter of 2015.
The agency also added that apart from the chaotic road transport that has boosted patronage; the number of investors in water transport system has also increased.

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) said the debilitating traffic into and out of Apapa has bolstered its revenue as it has surpassed all its projection by raking in about 75 percent of what it made in 2004, within the first quarter of 2015.
The agency also added that apart from the chaotic road transport that has boosted patronage; the number of investors in water transport system has also increased.
Speaking with our correspondent in his office last week, the Lagos Area Manager of the agency; Engineer, Mu’Azu Sambo disclosed that more Lagosians have embraced water transportation since the traffic gridlock in Apapa became unbearable.
He added that achievements of the agency which include embracing  public private partnership (PPP) which has led to additional nine new boats into the water transport system in the first quarter of the year.
 
He said that NIWA had provided platforms for the boats to do jetties in Ikorodu, Victoria Island and Apapa adding, that the boats are modern crafts that cannot easily sink because of the way they were constructed.
“We have been able to generate almost 70% of what we generated in the whole of last year in the first quarter of this year.
"There is massive increase in the number of passengers plying the water in the past two weeks."
He however acknowledged that more people have now discovered the efficiency of water transport, adding  that most people who have discovered the efficiency and safety of the waterways can now easily abandon their vehicles and patronise water transport system.
Speaking on the high cost of water transport, the area manager argued that the cost of running the boats and ferries might be responsible for it.
He maintained that the new private sector involvement is part of the achievements of NIWA in the first quarter of 2015, saying it will help facilitate easy movement of passengers plying the waterways in Nigeria.
Speaking further, Sambo said: “I don’t know if you were here last year where I talked about investors coming with international standard code. You can recall several incidents of deaths that were recorded on our water.
“Now, we have carried out extensive research and found out that one factor behind all these deaths is lack of suitable boats.
"At the beginning of this year, we were able to identify some groups who have brought in nine brand new boats into Lagos, they acquired terminal in Ikorodu and we provided a platform for them to do a jetty."
“We also provided a space for them at Victoria island to do another jetty in order to move people into Ikorodu and CMS on one hand and then Victoria Island to Ikorodu on the other hand and also to ferry passengers across to Apapa.