BOAT operators under the aegis of the Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON) have raised the alarm that thugs armed with cutlasses and machetes now besiege most inland waterways jetties, extorting boat operators of un-receipted levies.
Speaking during a stakeholders meeting put together by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), a prominent member of ATBOWATON, Mr. Akeem Balogun, lamented that most of the NIWA jetties are in very bad condition and are damaging boats belonging to the operators.
According to Mr. Balogun, “We don’t understand what is happening in Lagos anymore. It’s like some people want to extend the collection of levies that occur at most commercial bus garages in Lagos to the inland waterways jetties. These days, we now see young boys armed with cutlasses and machetes, demanding for money from our drivers at the jetties.
“These people don’t have boats, they don’t maintain engines or even pay workers, yet they will gather at the jetties and collect money from our drivers. If our drivers refuse them, they will damage our boats. The money they are collecting is un-receipted, yet they will damage any boat that refuses to pay them.
“We have reported this issue to NIWA but up till now, nothing has been done. Is it that Lagos is gradually extending collection of levies that happens in motor parks to the waterways jetties?”
On the condition of jetties, Mr. Balogun lamented that most of the NIWA jetties are in terrible shape and are damaging operators boats.
“Many of the NIWA jetties are not properly maintained. The jetties are damaging our boats. Many of the jetties don’t have fenders and this has been causing damages to our boats. When the boats are beyond repair, it is the same NIWA that will ask us not to put it to use anymore, but they seem to have forgotten that their jetties don’t have fenders and is the cause of the damage to the boats.
“NIWA should please provide fenders at their jetties and ensure the jetties are in good shape. If the jetties are properly maintained, our boats will last longer because we will have less damage to them,” Balogun added.
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