Oluyinka Onigbinde
In a bid to commute in Lagos after the ban on commercial motorcycles (okada), Shipping Position Daily has gathered that many commuters now make use of the waterways as an alternative means of transportation, especially to their workplaces and back.
Recall that the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on May 18, 2022 announced a total ban on the activities of commercial motorcycles in six local government areas, including all major roads, highways and bridges in the state.
The second phase of the ban took effect on September 1, 2022 in four more local government areas. This currently brings the number of the affected local governments to 10 namely: Ikeja; Surulere; Eti-Osa; Lagos Mainland; Lagos Island; Apapa; Kosofe; Oshodi-Isolo; Somolu and Mushin.
While the ban is in force, the state government advised the general public to find alternative and sustainable means of transportation to go about their respective daily activities.
Checks by our correspondent confirmed that the ban on the commercial motorcycles has affected movement of some residents in the state. For instance, residents of Ikorodu, who commute on a daily basis to Victoria Island or CMS, or Falomo, Ikoyi, will understand the deep impact of the ban on commercial motorcycle operations. They are now making use of the waterways
Also, some resident of Apapa who work in Lagos Island and make use of the commercial motorcycle now make use of the waterways, owing to the ban on motorcycles.
Our correspondent who spoke to some of the boat users at some of the jetties discovered that some of the users are alien to waterways transportation, as many were seen battling how to properly wear the life jackets.
One of the boat users at the Marina jetty in Lagos, who simply identified herself as Modupe she said the ban on Okada led her to making use of the waterways, explaining that though she has a phobia for water, she is trying to overcome it.
“I used to have phobia for water transportation before the ban on Okada, however I am getting used to it, sometimes what we fear doesn’t kill us, I think water transportation is something we need to get used to in this part of the world”, she said.
Also speaking, another user; Timothy Eze said he started making use of the waterways less than two months after the government banned okada in some areas, he said he finds water transportation more convenient and safer than other means of transportation.
Meanwhile the General Manager, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) Mr. Damilola Emmanuel, has said the ban on okada in some parts of Lagos has led to little or no significant increase in the number of those who use the water transportation in the state.
Emmanuel, in a chat with our correspondent informed that the average figure of those who use the waterways on a daily basis is between 80,000 to 100,000 and on a monthly basis the state waterways record around 1.83 million passengers.
The LASWA boss stated that the okada ban has only affected those who use it as a means of transportation from the jetties, even as he added that the ban has helped to reduce the number of road accidents.
“Well, it has not had any effect on water transportation. The only thing we have noticed is that when people get out of the jetties, okadas used to be their mode of transportation away from the jetties. But the State Government has provided First Mile/ Last Mile Buses at strategic locations to make sure that that gap is not felt. So we would say at the end of the day with the positive impact of Okada, now we see less accidents and loss of lives, this is very good for us”, he said.
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Speaking on the impact of water transportation in the state he said: “I think the impact of water transportation in the state is tremendous. We must correct the impression that because of water transportation, our roads will be free of traffic. I would say it is not that it will be free of traffic.
“It just means that there will be less congestion; but critically, we are able to provide an alternative which people should have in any business city like Lagos, which is what the state government has been doing in developing water transportation. The Lagos State government is not just developing water transportation in isolation, but looking at how it links to other modes. Right now, we have one mode which is called inter-modal transportation.
“As you know, the state government is currently working on the rail which will start next year. Then it would now become multimodal transportation”, he said.
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