INTERVIEW: LASWA was basically a star in Dar es Salaam – Damilola Emmanuel, GM, LASWA.

Damilola Emmanuel is the General Manager, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA). In this interview with Segun Oladipupo, he highlighted some of the activities of the agency since the last quarter of 2023.

He emphasised the need for collaboration with the federal agency in charge of waterways, NIWA for optimum waterways safety.

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According to him, deployment of technology on the waterways operations is the way to go and how the state intends to make transportation seamless for Lagos resident with the launch of cowry card which can serve as means of transportation across all modes.

He believes that synergy with the federal government agency would translate to maximum benefits for waterways users.

Emmanuel added that more improved boat deployment on the waterways will encourage more people to use the waterways.

These and many more are the salient issues he explained in this interview.

Excerpts:

Can you tell us what has kept LASWA busy since last quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024?

Just to speak about few of our activities from last year to this year, majorly we have been focused on safety on waterways.

In terms of safety, we have done a lot of life jackets donations and continue to carry out safety sessions at strategic jetties and our personnel at the jetties have continued to ensure that rules and regulations are adhered to at the jetties and terminals.

Of course, we have been using deployment of technology because we have the Waterways Monitoring and Data Management Centre. First of its kind in West Africa which enables us to monitor our jetties and terminals real time from Falomo here.

It informed us of incidents and we have been able to respond to incidents that happened.

We have also been able to see the launching of the cowry card on the waterways. We started with the Ikorodu state-owned terminal because we want Lagosians to be able to move seamlessly across the different modes from point A to point B. And of course, we intend to expand that to other areas of Lagos as well.

We have continued our synergy with the federal government and federal government bodies as we continue to oversee the waterways.

Question: The state government recently launched another 25 ferries, do you think you have the capacity to regulate the activities of boats as the number increases?

Well, we have been doing it. We have been managing over 200 to 300 boats. 25 boats is just an addition and we know that these are more improved boats as well and it is also to enhance the private and public sectors players. The private and public sectors will benefit from the new boats that are going to be deployed. It is also going to help improve the patronage on the waterways because the passengers will willingly want to use water transportation having seen this new boat being deployed into the waterways

Question: Some people have argued that due to the Supreme Court judgement and seeming withdrawal of LASWA from waterways regulation has led to increase in waterways mishap. Do you gree to this?

To be honest, if I agree to this, it means we are trying to give ourselves unnecessary credit. It is one government and it shows that we have to collaborate with the federal government because we have to respect the Supreme Court judgement. The Supreme Court that made the judgement know why they made the judgement but we have always been advocating that the state government must collaborate with the federal government to ensure effective regulations.

They have to constantly keep improving on the safety system. In that aspect, it shows that there is much work to be done and we must not rest on our oars to make Lagos State Waterways safe.

Question: After the Supreme Court judgement, what has been the relationship between NIWA and LASWA?

It continues to get better. You know we had a relationship before and we need to strengthen the relationship because it should be about sustainability and how it becomes a template for other states as well.

We have to collaborate with NIWA because it is the national body which has been established by the constitution.

Question: What is your Dar es Salaam experience?

It was amazing. LASWA was basically a star in Dar es Salaam because it was about safety. African countries generally are now looking more into inland waterways transportation of passengers and goods so, to see that in Nigeria with a focus on Lagos, we have been using waterways and we did not just stay at the traditional level, we have been deploying technology the cowry card, the Waterways Monitoring and Data Management Centre, they were really impressed.

We had people from Cameroon, Kenya and different parts of Africa who would also.love to visit Lagos to come and see what we are doing so that they too can also learn from it.

We believe that the time for Africa to arise is now.