The General Manager Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel said the government would continue to wield the big stick if sanity is to be forced down the throat of operators. He spoke with SUNRISE NEWS
Illegal jetty operators?
The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) would continue to wield the big stick against all illegal jetty operators. Illegal jetties are jetties that the operators do not have an approval to operate. Right now there are 10 of them, five of which has some kinds of approval while the remaining do not and we are saying that if they know they want to be operating their jetties they have to come to the regulators to get the requisite approval because there are many things we have to check on those jetties. We need to check whether they are well secured, save and navigable. That is why we restrict operations to those jetties that we have and then all the subsequent ones would be put to use when they do all the requisite things.
Is there any deadline?
We have given them up till the end of this month and from first week in November we will start full enforcement. It is instructive to let you know that the state government is doing everything to make the water more navigable. Lagos State has about 26 jetties.
But we were very specific about the problems of water transportation in Badagry. A lot of them are not doing the requite things because they often sat they do not say they do not have enough to start their business.
On penalties for those who may not meet deadline?
Basically they are going to stop operations. If they cannot comply with the state’s regulations, they would not be able to operate. We would be stopping their operations. They may be fined but stopping their operations is the first step.
We have our water guards who would be at the jetties to enforce this. For the operators we would be sensitizing them and ensuring that they adhere to the regulations of the state government. They must adhere by the laws of COVID-19 protocols. You have to adhere to the state’s directive.
Im sure you see that the last incident that happened from Apapa to Badagry when a boat capsized the operator had been charged to court. I know very well that they are now well prepared to comply because now that they see that they can be charged to court, then they would restrained, especially in embarking on night travels. Once anyone is caught they would be handed to marine police and prosecuted.
On illegal barge operators
Barge operations doesn’t really involve state, it involves NIWA and NPA. Right now they have stopped operations around the Marina axis. Going forward, Mile 2 is the next axis that they would restrict operation to. NIWA, NPA and LASWA are collaborating to ensure that they regulate the activities of barge operators. What happened now is that when NPA gives them a licence, NPA also ensures to establish their location they are taking off from. That location had to be approved by the state government before they can move. They are moving right now, because they have licences. All those who don’t have are being called back to come to NPA to get those licences which is the first step for them.