The efforts of Lagos State Government to improve water transportation got a boost as the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA), has donated six boats and equipment which would be deployed on the waterways.
The equipment were handed over to the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA).
Vice-Chairman of FBRA, Mr. Adekunle Olusuyi who led the delegation of the alliance to make the donation at Ikoyi Jetty said the alliance was poised to partner the government in water transportation and recycling of plastics on the waterways.
FBRA’s Technical Lead, Amaka Onyemelukwe said the partnership between the alliance and the Lagos State government dated back to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed last year.
Under the MOU, FBRA will provide funding for equipment, gears and personnel training, while Lagos State government will be responsible for structural civil works, waste sorting centres, enforcement, among others. Also, FBRA and Lagos State government will jointly fund public awareness campaigns and advocacy on appropriate packaging waste and disposal systems.
Onyemelukwe said: “The long term objective is to have our waterways cleared of all sorts of marine waste and when this is done we would have a safe and clean waterways were all habitats of aquatic life would be sustained and our water transportation would be seamless as canvassed by the government.”
Daily Trust reports that the more people now patronize water transportation in the state as more investors look the way of the means of transportation.
Uber recently launched UberBoat, as a public private partnership initiative to improve water transportation.
Our correspondent learnt that there are 10 routes currently operational on the waterway while 30 routes have been identified by the government for development.
