Alhaji Adisa Balogun is the chairman, of Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON) at the Takwa Bay jetty, he is also a politician. In this interview with our correspondent Roland Ekama, he shed light on the inland water transport transportation system and other maritime related issues. He also talked about the association and the challenges being faced by water transport operators.
Can you please tell us how long you have been in the business of water transportation?
Alhaji Adisa Balogun is the chairman, of Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON) at the Takwa Bay jetty, he is also a politician. In this interview with our correspondent Roland Ekama, he shed light on the inland water transport transportation system and other maritime related issues. He also talked about the association and the challenges being faced by water transport operators.
Can you please tell us how long you have been in the business of water transportation?
As an operator, I can say I got my Power Driven Small Craft (PDSC) which is the first choice to boating in 1968. But, I will like to say that the business we are into today was inherited from our late father who happened to be the pioneer of Takwa Bay. So with that, I think you will able to calculate the years that I have been in the business.
You talked about inheritance and it’s obvious that your family has excelled in the business, what is the force behind the success?
You are the one that said the family is doing very well as regards water transport business in Lagos state , I don't really understand the yardsticks you used to judge our success but to the best of my knowledge, I thank God for that, although I am the first son in the family , I am a boat water transporter cum politician and my younger brother ; Ganiyu Balogun happens to be the owner of Tarzan Boats and Jetties. In Lagos today, he is the topmost boat operator, recognised by the federal government because in 1992 the federal government of Nigeria approached him to have a union in order to put all the boat operators together with one vision, for the purpose of being under one umbrella and as a way to relate with the government too. We also have Taofeek and Akeem; all younger brothers to me and Gani, they are all doing very fine in water transport business in Lagos. Therefore I cannot deny the fact that the family has actually succeeded in business, but really our father happened to be responsible for all that.
Speaking about the association, can you please tell us more about the association?
The full name of the association is Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON) and the intention of government for asking Tarzan to put operators under one umbrella is to have a unified boat operation body that will be recognised and also discuss issues about the water transport at any given time that they so desire. Along the line we found out that security and safety is paramount in the business, we have been working very hard to make sure that there is security and safety in water transportation. Again as an association we make sure that we have competent hands that can handle the boats to ensure that we don't operate like the motorist because our own profession has processes. Like I said earlier I have my first certificate on PDSC and in 2002, which is a very long time difference , I had my quartermaster and as we speak, I have my certificate as a river master. And we still have more certificates that are above river master. But in the case of motorists, you don't go to higher institutions to obtain a degree in driving thus as far as marine is concerned, it is a gradual process and there is room for continuity to obtain other degrees and professional certificates until you might be satisfied or fulfilled and that is difference between us and the motorist. Again, we want our operators to know that we can be equated with the airline operators in term of academics and professionalism. As far as I am concerned, I will say marine transport is the safest in all forms of transportation.
How can you describe Lagos waters in term of safety and security?
Every business has its own hazard and you will agree with me that the government invests more on our roads compared to water, so the government has a lot to do on the water in that regard, although it is a gradual process, because there used to be wrecks on our water before now and from what we have noticed, such things are not much again as it was some years back. Again that does not mean that there is no more wreck on water, because government has realised the danger of wrecks and they have started removing those wrecks one after the other. For example the Lagos lagoon is dredged almost everyday and it is a plus on their part in ensuring that the inland waters are safe. LASWA on its part is doing well to assist the federal government to maintain our waters in the areas of safety of the state's inland waterways. They have also put in place some infrastructure to help us improve on our business. Development is a gradual process and I can see that the government has realised the potentials of water transport business, so they are making efforts to sanitise the sector through wreckage removal and also putting in place other safety measures. Above all, the federal and state governments have tried on issues surrounding wrecks on our waters and the operators can testify to that.
What about in the area of bandits on the inland waters, would you say passengers are safe?
Robbery on the inland waters is not up to 5% when compared to land transportation because you seldom record such on water, except at sea where pirates are commonly noticeable but the Nigeria Navy and NIMASA have done a lot to curb sea robbery and to ensure that our domain is safe. As far as I am concerned, Lagos waters remain the safest in the whole of Nigeria because we have security presence at sea and I will say it’s a plus for the agencies involved in the protection of our coastal waters. But, we still have some loopholes here and there.
What is the strength of your association?
To the best of my knowledge, as at today, we have about 32 zones. We have the state chapters, senatorial districts which also have zones and national. The zones spread from Epe to Badagry and I am the coordinator of the Takwa Bay zone.
Tell us about some of the challenges faced by operators?
We have a lot of challenges, but one of the paramount problems has been clarified; which is the issue of multiple taxation. There was a period when NIWA, LASWA and NIMASA will come to us for tax payment, we tried to let them see reason why we can't pay the multiple charges but they refused so we went to court to know who should collect our taxes and by the constitution of Nigeria, NIWA happened to be the agency of government that should collect tax from us inwardly, then outwardly, we should pay to NIMASA thus put a stop to the multiple payment. If I am to assess the level of our operation in water transport business, I will say we are doing it philanthropically.
Why did you make such comment?
It is because my father has human feeling for people. If you go to other places where water transport business thrives, they charge N500 per person, but at Takwa Bay we charge as low as N200 per person. To buy a new engine today goes for N1.2 million and above, however such engines can only carry you for a maximum of two years. A professional is not advised to buy a fairly-used engine because it will not take you anywhere in term of durability. We don't collect money from students and apprentice, crossing from one point to another and you still call it a private business venture? Even the security operatives don't also pay and the boat takes only 10 passengers. In every 10 passengers, three may not pay and that is why I say we are more of philanthropists in my own zone. Others may not operate the way we do and that is why I say it is not that lucrative as people may perceive it to be. Most of the foreigners that patronise us before now have their own boat and the level of tourism in the state is no longer what it used to be considering the security challenges we are faced with in the country coupled with foreigners buying their own cruises boats. Apart from all these challenges mentioned, our infrastructures are nothing to write home about; most especially the energy sector and it is killing the economy of the nation. Still talking about challenges; the issue of how to get fuel for our day to day operation is another headache. When you go round the bank of the lagoons, there is no where you can get fuel. Before now our national president had met with the former president of Nigeria; Chief Olusegun Obasanjo calling for the construction of fuel stations at the jetties and by the time it was done, it was taken to the Niger Delta region. The creation of fuelling stations will reduce the burden on the operators, the issue of sourcing for fuel will be a thing of the past when there is no scarcity, when the operators get to the fuelling stations they will tell them that there is an order not to sell the products into jerry cans and that is why we need all these facilities in place because it is making our job stressful and cumbersome.
What is the association doing to meet with the government and even multinationals that are into oil and gas business?
I am not the right person to address this issue properly ; maybe when you meet with the national president of the association ,he will shed more light on what we are about to do in that regard. But I know that our company is in contact with another company for the facilities to be in place. We are collaborating with the company for them put those amenities in place and talks are still on going.
What is your take on the court verdict that favoured NIWA over LAWSA?
I am a politician, though not born in Lagos state, but I have been living in Lagos for over 50 years ago. As an APC chieftain, I think the whole issue boils down to politics, but the constitution of the land made it clear to both agencies and I think the court did justice to that. Frankly speaking it was ATBOWATON that made the court to know that there is duplication of function among the three agencies as I had earlier mentioned.
What is you assessment of NIWA under the management of Hajia Maryam Ciroma?
Really I don't expect anybody to live up to my expectation no man can satisfy his fellow human being, rather they can only leave a legacy for others to judge. As regard the agency, before this present administration, NIWA had refused to understand their roles as a regulator, but this present administration has made operators to understand that they are in existence. The presence of NIWA as a regulator in the last eight months is already being felt by the operators; maybe because they adhere to ATBOWATON’s advice or it is perceived that both of us are on the same page, however before now the agency has never given us life jackets, but recently they did something remarkable by providing such facilities. Although, it’s not much, but at least they were able to do something to encourage us. Again, NIWA now has a monthly interactive session with the operators; which is quite commendable but this was never in existence before now.
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