LASWA commences infrastructure upgrade with 15 Jetties

The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has commenced the upgrade of infrastructure since the beginning of the year 2021, with a total of 15 jetties and one terminal across the state.

The agency said it was its commitment to focusing on infrastructure development as a veritable for the sustainability of water transport infrastructure and investment.

The LASWA General Manager, Oluwadamilola Emmanuel while speaking with newsmen at a press briefing in Lagos on Friday, said the state government was planning in furtherance to coordinate with other modes of transportation.

Emmanuel said; what we set out to do is the upgrade of infrastructure and this has to do with the jetties and terminals across the state because, without reconstruction, there is no embarking or disembarking for passengers so the state government is currently rehabilitating jetties and terminals.

He said some of the infrastructures are 65% ready for utilisation pointing out that most of the facilities are due for commissioning by the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure and Development.

The GM noted that after the commissioning, the Ministry would hand over the facilities to LASWA for proper maintenance, operationalization and supervision.

“Some of the jetties built were designed for community utilisation with specific channelization for full optimisation.”

According to him, on the need to cover various locations, 48 water guards were initially deployed to some of the areas where the Agency has no physical presence to improve waterways safety and monitoring but the state government further approved the employment of additional 60 personnel to oversee the infrastructure.

On control centre operation, the LASWA manager disclosed that plans are already completed to commence inland waterways command and control centre which according to it, is the first in West Africa.

He added that the centre is aimed to monitor operational activities within the state waterways which in turn will enable the Agency to respond swiftly to emergency and data capturing.

“The centre is expected to commence operations before the end of the year, will be domiciled in Falomo, Ikoyi Lagos, with state-of-the-art cameras installation within the Ojo-Ikorodu Island axis to determine the number of accidents and movement of passengers along the waterfront.”

Emmanuel noted that the command and control centre would further aid LASWA to get first-hand information about passengers and operators who violate rules of engagement.

“The agency has also commenced the upgrade of LASWA emergency unit adding that with this command and control centre we are going to see how a lot of these movements happen on our waterways.”On the active participation of the private sector in the development of Inland Water Transportation, “The Future Cities Nigeria (FCN), a British Government initiative, has committed to assist in the development of a Business Case for the Waterways Sector.