How newly procured LAGFERRY boat partially capsized in Lagos waters

The establishment of LAGFERRY was Lagos State’s answer to the use of rickety boats across the state inland water by private operators. With the procurement of seven brand new vessels by the Lagos State Government for LAGFERRY a month ago, many waterways commuters were expecting so much more from the state-managed ferry firm, than a nightmare, writes TOLA ADENUBI.

ESTABLISHED to deliver safe, efficient and affordable means of alternative transportation on the inland waterways to the people of Lagos State following series of boat mishaps involving private boat operators, the Lagos State Ferry Services popularly referred to as LAGFERRY was not expected to encounter any boat mishap on the Lagos lagoon in the next one year given the enormous resources at its disposal from the Lagos State government.

Aside from consistently providing funding for the LAGFERRY services, the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on June 22, commissioned seven new passenger boats for LAGFERRY. Among the commissioned boats were MF Elegushi, a 30-seater passenger boat; MF Apapa, a 30-seater passenger boat; MF Onigando, a 30-seater passenger boat; and MF Majidun, another 30-seater passenger boat.

Others are MF Zangbeto, a 50-seater passenger boat; MF Eko Akete, another 50-seater passenger boat and MF Ehingbeti, a utility boat.

With the acquisition of these brand new boats, LAGFERRY became the toast of all waterways users as many thronged their jetties to get comfortable waterways transportation to different locations across the state.

July 16, 2021

Like any other day, the LAGFERRY boats were fully booked to different destinations across the state. For Mr Michael Adelanwa, preference for LAGFERRY services over private operators’ services was boosted by the fact that the state-run boats are brand new and cosy.

According to Mr. Adelanwa, “Since the Lagos State governor commissioned the seven new boats for LAGFERRY, I have always opted to make use of their services to Badagry anytime I am leaving Victoria Island for home. I occasionally work in Victoria Island because I have clients there, but I live in the Badagry area, so the waterways is always my best bet anytime I am leaving for home during rush hour period.

“On this fateful day, we boarded the MS Zangbeto like any other time and there was no premonition of what was to come as we set sail from the Five Cowries Terminal. No sooner had we set sail than water started coming into the vessel. This was a brand new vessel, so I was initially not scared of the water coming in because I thought the boat would regularize its operation as it moved on.

“However, when the water started becoming too much for the boat to sustain and the boat started bending to one side, everybody became scared and started screaming despite wearing life jackets. It was a terrible experience. I never envisaged such onboard a vessel that had just been commissioned about a month ago. The boat was a 50-seater passenger boat but was not fully loaded.

“So when the boat started bending to one side on the water, everybody started screaming. Luckily for everybody onboard, the boat was just a few meters away from a jetty operated by the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), and there were other passengers boats around waiting to pick passengers. Our scream alerted the nearby boats and they rushed to our scene and evacuated everybody from the now partially submerged LAGFERRY boat.

“I am yet to get over the trauma of that experience. That it occurred on a boat that was barely a month old and operated by the government, I am really at a loss on who to trust now on the waterways; whether the state government or the private boat operators.”

Operator’s reaction

For the Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON), the umbrella body for private boat operators, the incidence involving the MS Zangbeto is enough to let government regulators know that nobody is above a boat mishap.

Speaking exclusively to the Nigerian Tribune on the matter, a top official of ATBOWATON, who begged not to have his name in print out of fear of sanction by government agencies, explained that if what happened to MS Zangbeto had happened to a private boat operator, the license of such private operator and his boat would have been impounded.

“What happened to MS Zangbeto, if it had happened to a private boat operator, such person or business would have been impounded by the waterway regulators. We have the LASWA and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) as regulators on the waterways. They both regulate operations on the Lagos inland waterways.

“The LAGFERRY boat passengers were lucky because their boat became distressed just some few meters from the LASWA jetty at Ozumba Mbadiwe in Victoria Island. The rescue was swift and everybody was evacuated because it happened around the LASWA jetty. What if the incident had happened in the middle of nowhere on the lagoon?

“What I think this incident tells us is that nobody is above mistakes on the waterways. It could have happened to anybody. The same way the LAGFERRY incident was treated should be the same way other private operators should be treated if something similar happens to them. Private boat operators shouldn’t be singled out for punitive measures when the same law does not apply to government-managed ferries.

“Imagine a passenger boat that was halfway bent into the water while carrying about 20 passengers? Imagine what the passengers must have passed through. If the boat had not been a government boat, heads would have rolled,” the ATBOWATON top official told the Nigerian Tribune exclusively.

Government reaction

When contacted on why a brand new boat could have almost capsized on the Lagos lagoon, the Managing Director of Lagos State Waterways Authority, (LASWA), Mr. Damilola Emmanuel, explained to the Nigerian Tribune that what happened to MS Zangbeto could have happened to any boat.

In his words, “MS Zangbeto did not sink. What happened was that something pierced through the boat belly and led to water coming into the vessel. I am not saying this because I work with LASWA. I can back this up with proof. Maybe when it was departing the terminal, that was when something pierced through its belly and led to water coming in.

“So when the driver saw that the boat was bending to one side, he quickly alerted us at LASWA and also alerted his colleagues at LAGFERRY. Immediately, we dispatched rescue boats to the scene of the incident and all the passengers were successfully evacuated and the distressed boat taken away for repairs.

“For record purposes, the boat did not capsize. Yes, it became distressed and rescue was swift. What happened also does not mean that the newly commissioned boats were substandard. It could have happened to any boat.”

Also speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on what would have happened if the boat had become distressed in the middle of nowhere on the waterways, the Head of Media for LAGFERRY, Mr. Akeem Odusina explained that passengers are always kitted with life jackets that can sustain them afloat on the water for more than six hours.

“All passengers on LAGFERRY boats are kitted with life jackets that can ensure they stay afloat on the water for about six hours. So, even if the boat had become distressed in the middle of the waterways, the passengers would have stayed afloat till rescue would arrive.

“Our boats are fitted with real time monitoring system, so once our boat drivers make distress call, the response is always swift. Again, the life jackets can ensure the passengers stay afloat for about six hours until rescue comes.

“Water is still the safest means of transportation, and our response period to distress calls is always swift. Nothing is made perfect, even the aeroplanes. That is why we ensure passengers are kitted with life jackets before leaving our terminal. The last time we took the Super Eagles to Cotonou, we spent just an hour and thirty minutes, and it was hitch-free,” Akeem Odusina told the Nigerian Tribune exclusively.

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