HELP OUR BUSINESS IS DYING: Ferry Operators Lament Menace Of Water Hyacinth

Operators of ferry services in Lagos are currently groaning under the menace of water hyacinth which has consistently been hampering their boats movement. They are lamenting that their customers are already finding alternative means of transportation to and from some parts of Lagos.
The operators are consequently counting the loss which they suffer daily as the water hyacinth has stopped the boats’ operations for almost three weeks.

Operators of ferry services in Lagos are currently groaning under the menace of water hyacinth which has consistently been hampering their boats movement. They are lamenting that their customers are already finding alternative means of transportation to and from some parts of Lagos.
The operators are consequently counting the loss which they suffer daily as the water hyacinth has stopped the boats’ operations for almost three weeks.
But, to ameliorate the plight, the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) through its contractor have mobilized men and materials to the affected areas in Lagos and commenced the clearance of the weeds from the waterways.
One of the personnel of one of the affected ferry companies, Mrs Fareeda Adetula of Metro ferry said that despite the non- operation of their boats, salaries still have to be paid.
 According to her, the menace of the water hyacinth has grounded the company’s operations since October, 2011 adding that the initiative of the management of the Lagos State Waterways Authority has brought some respite to them.
She also stated that besides the ferry operators who have been affected by the weeds, fisher men in the affected areas are also counting their loss.
“These weeds have really affected our business tremendously because it has blocked the waterways and made it impossible for the boats to move and even if we try to move we end up incurring a lot of damages on the propeller, the hull and we burn more fuel in the process. ” We actually stopped work on the 15th of January that was immediately after the strike and we resumed work this past Monday”, she added.
“LASWA has done quite a lot; they moved and pegged these weeds to a level they could create a path for boats to pass through.
“We have lost our customers’ base, now we need to rebuild that, we are trying to sensitize them by taking up advert spaces in the papers as well as radio jingle.
“A month is enough for a anybody to make alternative mode of transport, so we need to get back our customers’ base”.
Speaking in a similar vein, Captain Wale Odukoya of Bell Marine said that their boats have been stocked in the last four weeks, adding that they can work now, because of the effort of  the Lagos State Waterways  Authority.