The Area Manager of the Lagos Area Office of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Engineer Sarat Braimah has warned the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) not to bring hooliganism into inland waterways operations in Nigeria.
Speaking on Tuesday when she received the leadership of the Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association of Nigeria (WABOTAN) in her office in Lagos, Engineer Sarat Braimah, wondered why MWUN wants to be collecting money from boat operators through the use of force.
According to the Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, “It is important that as a new association, WABOTAN ensures the use of modern boats in the carriage of passengers across the waterways.
“We expect WABOTAN to improve waterways navigation, and not worsen it. I know the President of WABOTAN, Babatope Fajemirokun, and I know his passion for waterways development. I know he operates from Badagry.
“I hope other members of WABOTAN share this passion for improvement in waterways development?
“Why I am asking about this is because we wouldn’t want this association to be about just forming a new association. We want to know your objectives and challenges that made you think a new association needs to come up?
“We need to know so that we know we are on the same page. Waterways Operations is developing every year. That’s why I keep telling operators to embrace technology. Two-Stroke engine is no longer fashionable for boat operations globally, and we won’t want to have people promoting such on our waterways.
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“We know it’s not easy economically as of today, but we have to be striving to ensure we attain perfection on our inland waterways.
“Again, we at NIWA will like to know your membership strength and where your members operate from so that when issues arises, I can easily know who is involved.
“In recent weeks, members of the MWUN have been harassing boat operators for levies, threatening to replicate what happens in motor park garages on the waterways. We won’t accept that.
“MWUN have said they want to see me, but I told them I cannot sit with them for now because of the way they are going about collection of levies from boat operators. MWUN should not bring hooliganism to the waterways. If they cannot go about collection of levies peacefully and professionally, then NIWA won’t have anything to do with them.
“That’s why NIWA needs to know the members of this new association. Who are they? Are they related to water? Where do they operate from? This and many more need answers.”
Responding to the NIWA Lagos Area Manager, President of WABOTAN, Babatope Fajemirokun explained that the association has members across the littoral states of Nigeria.
In the words of Mr Fajemirokun, “As you are looking at us, we are all boat owners. We are ready to work with NIWA in all areas.
“Our objectives include safety and security on our waterways. We will also be training and re-training our members to develop and build manpower for the transport sector. We will also be creating a database and assist NIWA in collecting revenue.
“We number around 250 in membership strength and cuts across the federation, with presence in all littoral states. We just got incorporated and have a presence in Rivers State, Ondo State, Bayelsa State and many other littoral states.
“We are here to partner with relevant government ministries, agencies and departments, and even sister associations.
“In the last quarter of the year, we are proposing to have a training for our members. Of cause, NIWA will be duly notified.
“Talking about phasing out wooden boats, we are committed to that. We have in place a cooperative society where our members can leverage to build capacity. Our cooperative society is registered with Lagos State. Through this cooperative, our members can access funding to building capacity.
*Talking about modernising boat operations, we are also looking at bringing e-hailing taxis on the waterways. Like we have the Uber, Bolt form of e-hailing on our roads, we want to replicate that on the waterways to modernise waterways transportation.”
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