Determined to ease passengers’ movement to and fro Lagos Island areas due to the partial closure of Third Mainland Bridge for repairs, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) said it has deployed 40-feet floating jetties to help bring water transportation services close to commuters throughout the six months of repairs.
The authority also flagged off of four new water transportation routes located at Adekunle, under the third mainland bridge outward Oworoshonki from Yaba, Lekki Phase One by NIWA police post, Oyingbo and Oworoshonki, in bound the Island.
Two of the four new routes, Adekunle (Yaba) and Lekki Phase One were opened for immediate use while the remaining two at Oworoshonki and Oyingbo will be put to use after minor dredging of the waterfront ambiance.
Sarat Lara Briamah, Lagos Area manager of NIWA, who disclosed in a statement, said the effort which is subject to review throughout the duration of repairs on bridge, was to bring succour to over 33,000 commuters who ply the link bridge in and out of the Island to work and other sundry businesses.
“This alternate transportation services certainly will help reduce traffic flow, save users of the bridge expected stress, loss of valuable man-hour and also ease vehicular movement of goods and services out of the island, not foreclosing the health benefits of using water transportation,” she said during the flag-off on Friday in Lagos.
Braimah noted that the intervention was well thought out as the effort will not only bring water transportation services closer to Lagos communities but will provide the needed data for initiating a blanket floating jetty projects across the vast Lagos inland waterways under the watch of NIWA.
She said this will bring a revolution on water transportation as a solution to the unexplainable traffic situation in Lagos.
“Our managing director, George Moghalu mandated us in Lagos to be futuristic and proactive in the discharge of our obligations in order to bring an inclusive response to the partial closure of Third Main Bridge. He wants us to also open up certain waterfronts not just as temporary response but as strategic plan to make every part of Lagos accessible by water,” she said.
On security and usage of the floating jetties, Briamah said that security will be provided round the clock at the identified take off points by NIWA police and sister security agencies while the organised boat operators in Lagos will man the daily operation at the new jetties.
“We are collaborating with the Lagos chapter of the Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters (ATBOWATON) and their chairman, Lawal Saheed has assured of 100 percent buy-in on this project,” Braimah further explained, adding that all categories of water transportation services will be monitored to avoid any mishap or sharp practices.
According to her, NIWA is determined to make it work despite lean resources at a time like this.
“We expect Lagosians to embrace the effort and to make the new routes popular, we have done radio jingles and likewise, printed hands bills to be distributed at strategic points to motorists and other commuters who will be encouraged to park their vehicles either at home or at the designated jetty areas and take to the waters for ease of doing business even after the bridge is fully opened to capacity operations,” she stated.
Already, the big boat transportation services outfits such as Tarzan boats, Texas Connection, Sea lift and Sea Coach, have signified readiness to deploy their boats to the routes in order to boost the initiative.
