Boat Operators Support Subsidy Removal, Demand Control Of Lagos Jetties

Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association (WABOTAN), has declared support for President Bola Tinubu,over the removal of fuel subsidy.

President of WABOTAN, Comrade Babatope Fajemirokun, who stated this in a chat with journalists in Apapa, however, urged the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to consider handing over the newly commissioned Jetties across the state to WABOTAN in order to help manage it for optimal performance.

Comrade Fajemirokun described President Bola Tinubu as the only Nigerian President that understands the importance of the maritime sector to the GDP of the national economy.

“Sometimes, you have to swallow a bitter pill to get healed, we have seen this subsidy removal as such. We see this government as a listening government and open, we want them to bring up whatever palliative that is necessary to cushion the effect.

“Some Nigerians have been clamoring for the removal of this subsidy for a long time, some people even described it as a fraud. So, for us, it is a welcomed idea and we would get used to it. The subsidy has been removed already by President Muhammadu Buhari before handing over to President Tinubu, but Nigerians like to take advantage of everything. For us as boat operators, we don’t think this is something that would choke everybody.

“This is the first time that I am seeing a president that knows about water transportation and he is fully in charge, previous Presidents do not have knowledge of the maritime sector. Tinubu governed Lagos, a littoral state for eight years, and he made a lot of impact in the waterways business.”

“We are going to make our own presentation to his office. He knows what it takes to run the maritime economy and its importance to our GDP” he said

Also speaking, Public Relations Officer of WABOTAN, Chief Raymond Gold, said the association is by way of concession, seeking administration and control of the newly commissioned jetties by Lagos State Government.

The WABOTAN spokesman said “We identify with the Lagos State Government in building these jetties, where there are good jetties, it promotes waterways safety. It also improved the look and feel of the encouragement where they are built. Above all these, you see several features in place like toilet facilities, contributing to the fight against open defecation.

“WABOTAN is a major stakeholder and we feel we have a major role to play in managing these jetties. What we seek is Concessioning and any other partnership that they deemed fit to enter with us, in order to ensure that the jetties are put into profitable use and they are sustainable in terms of maintenance in cost of running the jetties.

“WABOTAN is highly experienced and capable of running these jetties. Don’t forget that we also have a registered Cooperative Society regulated by the Lagos State Government, we have all it takes to run the Jetty as concessionaires.”

“In fact, we have what it takes to run all the jetties, we have the experience, the manpower, including other federal jetties across Nigeria because we are national” he said