The National President of the Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON), Alhaji Tarzan Balogun in this interaction with Joshua Yousouph explores pressing issues facing inland waterways sector. From the recent distribution of life jackets by the Federal Government, to challenges hampering ferry operations in Ogun State, he shares frank insights on safety enforcement, unstable policy environments, and the urgent need for sustainable investment in Nigeria’s blue economy.
It’s risky to invest heavily in a country where tomorrow is uncertain
Transportation from Lagos to Abeokuta by water is possible, if not for the rocks
What’s your take on the recent handover of life jackets by the Federal Government to state governments?
Well, as the National President ATBOWATON, I would say it is very appreciable. We are happy that they did that, and we look for more of this in future. Recently, the Federal Government gave out life jackets to the Ogun state government and we are glad to witness the handover. To finalize it depends on the people at the state chapter, that is people who are operating in the state. This is because the life jackets have not been given to our members, which I would have said we now have. The life jackets were 3,500 pieces, according to what the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy told us. So each state would be having 3,500, but we learned they are distributing it in batches. They have distributed the life jackets to some states in the North, and they are also giving to some states in the Southwest and South-South. The end users are what matter most. It’s easier said than done, but we can see it visibly that the life jackets are there. But we are yet to receive it, so that they can be used.
Do you think giving life jackets alone will solve the problem of boat mishaps on our waterways?
I would say no. In terms of preventing the problem of boat mishaps on our waterways, we need to channelize the waterways and remove all the wrecks. Not all boat operators can afford the GPS or what we call depth sounder; which means, if the boat is navigating on water, anything under the water can be seen from the screen, so you can divert from any obstacle in the water. Boats that have things like that are not cheap. They say the journey of 1,000 miles starts with a step, so I would say the life jacket is not enough, but it’s a major part of it. Even if a boat goes around and hits something and it sinks, people inside the boat need to float and that’s the work of the life jacket. If they are floating, another boat will come and rescue them. There was a time, a company called Modant Marine came to Nigeria. Their MD is from Belgium. I studied in their school. They came to Nigeria and asked me to take them round Nigeria for sight-seeing. We were in an airplane. At that time, Okada Airlines still operated. We were in a plane, and when we were getting very close to Port Harcourt, the turbulence was so bad. Everything was falling. People started praying and I started laughing. They were surprised and asked why I was laughing knowing that the plane might crash due to the turbulence. I told them that after crashing, what happens? We will die and I want to smile to see God. I don’t want God to see me crying. That was just a joke. But why was I laughing? I was laughing because when I’m on the water, I’ve seen waves that make boats bang the water as if it wants to capsize. It is just turbulence. It’s just that the water is rough. It is only when they announce that the engine of the plane has packed up that I would believe there is a problem. That day, we could not land in Port Harcourt, we had to go and land in Warri; for you to know that the turbulence was very bad. But it wasn’t the fault of the plane. It was the weather. Now, if they say you should put on your seat belt properly, and you don’t, you might have an accident. That is just how the life jacket is in the boat. Sometimes, if you go to Badore Jetty, some passengers will not want to wear the life jacket. They will ask you what is your business. Are you the owner of my life? What concerns you? We tell them it’s our concern because they are boarding our boat and their lives and properties is in the hand of the boat captain. If anything goes wrong or anything happens to them, it will be taken as our fault. So if they don’t want to obey our rules of safety, they should please disembark from the boat.
Let’s talk about ferry operation in Abeokuta. Lagos is currently the busiest ferry transportation hub in Nigeria. Can Abeokuta rise to that level?
To the magnitude of Lagos? I don’t think Abeokuta can match-up. But if you talk about Ogun state at large, then I think they can do better. Like I said earlier, Ogun state is in the middle, Benin republic is on the right, Lagos state and Ondo state are on the left. So, you can imagine people traveling from Ogun State to Benin Republic which is very easy. From Ogun to Lagos is also very easy. If you want to go travel from Ogun state to Ondo, you just have to alight at Lagos and join another ferry to Ondo. What I am just trying to say is that because of the strategic position of Ogun state, it is very possible that it can happen. But let that happen, the three states — Ogun, Lagos, Ondo and even Benin Republic have to work hand-in-hand.
What are the major challenges the Ogun state waterways face?
Well, the major challenge is that Ogun State is rocky. There are rocks in the waters, but if the government is ready to pump money into it, you can come to Abeokuta by boat. From Lagos to Abeokuta by water is possible if not for the rocks. After Berger in Lagos, there’s a bridge and water around that place where they sell cows and other livestock. There’s a channel that links that place to the Abeokuta. That means boats can come from Lagos to Abeokuta if the channel is dredged and the rocks are removed. There are many communities along the way, just like road and rail transport where you stop at each point. If the government is ready, it can work. I don’t see any company that can do it, if the government is not involved.
Let’s shift a bit to marine tourism. Are there opportunities in Ogun State?
That’s a very good question, and I’m really happy to hear that. If you look inside my compound, you’ll see a boat there. About five or six years ago, I and my friends went to a place called Oyan Dam. We went by boat. I used to take people on boat cruises slowly around, and then come back. I bought some facilities from the United States such as small canopies and the likes, we had barbecues, we enjoyed ourselves and then went back home. I was even thinking of constructing a floating bar, like my barge that carry cars to Lagos those days. That is a floating bar where people can come every weekend, like a lounge floating on the water. It can take about 200 to 500 people. There’s no big storm or wind there, it is like a lake, and it’s a dam- the Oyan dam. Yes, there are crocodiles in the water. There ae places where you cannot go and swim. But if you’re just cruising, there’s no way crocodiles will attack you. The tourism potential is fantastic. We have Olumo Rock too, which a lot of people want to come and see. So people can come by water from Lagos to avoid traffic, then move to Olumo Rock from there. Boats can get to the Oyan dam directly from Lagos. What they need to do is just to open that dam, where the boat can go inside. They use to open the dam for the flow of water. So since they used to open it, that means they can open it for boats to pass. Just like in Amsterdam, when the boat cannot go and they want to move passengers or tourists, they open that the dam and the boat moves.
What should be done about boat standardization and local production?
Sometimes, I feel pity. I’m no more a little boy, and all of us will die one day, so let’s say the truth. Some civil servants don’t like me, because I say the truth especially those who are only concerned about their pockets and do not care about the government. They dent the image of the government by their actions. Two companies, one from South Africa and one from Australia, wanted to invest in Nigeria through me. But I told them to wait. That was around during Fashola era. Why did I ask them to wait? This is because our laws are not consistent. One President signs a policy today, another one cancels it tomorrow. So, it’s risky to invest heavily in a country where tomorrow is uncertain. A President will always want his country to be good but some Civil Servant are not portraying a good image of the service. They say, uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. Every wrong thing that happens today in this country will be said to be the fault of the President but every good thing that is happening, the Minister will say he’s the one responsible for it. The commissioner will say it’s my ministry. But if there is any bad incidence, they will say it is the President. So this is where the problem is. So investing in Nigeria is good. But I think we should encourage local investors and local manufacturers. When you talk about boats, I’ve seen boats that are built in America, Australia, or built in South Africa that got sank. I’m sure you have seen it on the Internet. So, it could be negligence and it could also be nature; probably because of the water or waves. We need consistent and stable regulations. If the standard for boats is defined, local builders in Lagos, Kano or anywhere in Nigeria can build it. We are also going to create employment for more citizens and teach them more. Instead of importing boats and spending huge money on transporting it alone, that same cost can build four or five boats here and employ more Nigerians.
You’ve painted a picture of an unstable investment environment. You said foreign investors once contacted you, but you told them to wait. Are you saying investors should not come in?
No, I didn’t tell them not to come. I only told them to hold on and thank God I did. This is because there have been a lot of changes in government and a lot of things were wrong. So you can imagine if they had invested then, everything could have gone to waste. Okay, let me give you an example. We have these Okada (commercial motorcycle) there before, there was a time they stopped all of them. But now they are back again in a different form. You can imagine the person that imported and invested such amount of money to buy those bikes. Either he committed an offence or he did not commit any, they were banned. Cutting the head off is not the medicine for headache. So we need to have a consistent and stable laws and regulations that last for a long time.
What I’m surprised about the President is, where did he find Oyetola the Minister? Where did he get this man that is so committed? Oyetola is committed to ensuring that safety of the waterways must be guaranteed and all that. He invested his money and brought life jackets to different states. So if he leaves, we pray a new minister will continue on that lane. But if a new minister comes and says, no, I don’t want this. Then we will be back to square one again. So we need a consistent policy that will make up for the next 50 years. That way, if I don’t make money and the business doesn’t work, I’ll know it’s because of me, not because the policy changed overnight.
How would you assess Ogun State’s collaboration with the NIWA in enforcement of safety on our waterways?
I’m happy that Ogun State is now trying to emulate Lagos. What we saw today, that is the handover of life jackets was not just the federal government affair, it was a result of collaboration. If the Ogun State government said, “I don’t want it,” then it wouldn’t happen. So, the cooperation is vital. That’s why I said they should establish Ogun State Waterways Authority, like Lagos has its own. At the last safety conference in Lagos, Ogun State officials were there which shows collaboration. If there’s no collaboration, they wouldn’t come.
Lastly, Minister Oyetola recently said revenue from the blue economy has increased by over 90% and could surpass oil revenue. What’s your view?
I want to agree with him, if things are done the way they should be, and there’s no favoritism. If a new minister takes over and follows in his footsteps, it will be great. This is because he cannot be there forever. So Imagine if we have a change in government and the new President changes the ministers. If another minister comes in and cancels everything, it will set us back. So let’s build on what’s on ground and move forward. Like I said, I’ve been on this for a long time. I have passion for it. Everything is not about money. It’s about contribution. As they say in America, “Don’t ask what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”
