THE Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, on Friday expressed the commitment of his administration to provide critical infrastructure and enabling environment for investors to participate in the ongoing efforts to rev up water transportation, saying the sector remains critical to solving the traffic congestion affecting the State.

Speaking at a Roundtable on Water Transportation organised by the State Government, and held at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, the Governor said though the sector had been left unattended to over the years, the State Government was committed more than ever before to fully harness the potential of the water transportation to the benefit of the people.

He said the chaotic traffic situation in some parts of the state in recent times, the pressure on the roads, and the attendant danger to lives and property have now made the need for water transportation even more compelling.

According to him, “The question to ask is what has brought us to this despicable situation so to speak where the only mode of transportation for over 22million people is road and the road itself is chaotic. In the last three years, we have been fighting traffic and unfortunately, in the last two weeks, we have seen what has happened in Apapa and what we have been trying to do. Just about three weeks ago, we saw what happened with regards to the Otedola Bridge disaster and then the carnage, as well as the inability of the government to provide for the needs of the people.

“So, among the over 22 million people, almost 8 million are walking on the streets every second and at the same time, 86 people enter into Lagos every one hour according to United Nations statistics for 2016 which is the largest in the world. So, if other states are failing, more people are going to be coming to Lagos and that means maybe right now, there are 120 people entering Lagos not wanting to go back and the only mode of transportation we have for them is just the road and that is why we are coming up with other modes.

He said in addition to ongoing efforts, the roundtable was basically to come up with a sustainable framework to boost water transportation and encourage people to adopt it as an alternative to other modes of transportation.

While wooing investors to take advantage of the reforms in the water sector, the Governor said it was instructive that in the last 36 months, more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) came into the State largely due to transparency and credibility to encourage investors, assuring that his administration would continually create the enabling environment for businesses to thrive. – Punch

July 27, 2018 @ 18:55 GMT|