WABOTAN seeks reduction in license fee for affordability
WABOTAN seeks reduction in license fee for affordability
Segun Oladipupo
Members of the Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association (WABOTAN) has stated that members of the association and boat operators in general have been unable to obtain the operating licence and permit by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) due to the h8gh cost of obtainibg it.
As a result the operators are seeking reduction in the cost of the licence by the regulators.
He made the appeal in a chat with journalists on Saturday in Lagos
He maintained that the association’s leaders has been making appeals to the management of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) for reduction in the cost of acquiring the license.
The license is aimed at regulating the influx and arbitrariness of boat drivers and to reduce the accident rate on the waterways.
According to him the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) charge lesser amount when compared to what NiWA is demanding.
He affirmed that “Presently, we are still talking to them. It is not an issue to get a license but what the drivers are talking about is the fee. The amount for the licence is on the high side.
“It is about N75,000 but what we are doing with NIMASA is less than N20,000. We want NIWA to come down so that we can be able to afford it and we are already talking to the management on the issue. There is hope that they will listen to us,” he maintained.
On the complaints by stakeholders that the new Managing Director/CEO of NIWA, Bola Oyebamiji is yet to have audience with the stakeholders especially as boat mishaps increase on the waterways, he said the MD had promised to engage the stakeholders before the end of the month of March.
“We have written to him and has replied us, he is very busy but he has promised to meet with us before the end of this month to address the stakeholders. You know he is new in the system.”
Engr. Fajemirokun added that NIWA is organising a program for the boat drivers to sensitise them on necessary tips to avoid accidents on the waterways
His words, “Today’s program is just like a seminar for boat captains and decan on what that expect from us and what we should be expecting from them before the end of the year.”
