President, National Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria, (ATBOWATON), Dr Gani Tarzan Balogun, has applauded and congratulated Governor Babajide sanwo-Olu on his electoral victory at the just concluded Governorship elections on Saturday.
Dr Balogun who in partnership with the President, Waterfront Boat Operators and Water Transporters Association, Mr Tope Fajemirokun, mobilised a coalition of trade operators and ferry services entrepreneurs to campaign for Sanwo-Olu, noted that the sectoral players, knew that, he deserved to win based on his first term score card, adding that Lagos waterways transportation ecosystem, will benefit from his dedication and passion.
“Both ATBOWATON and WABOTAN, are well pleased with Governor Sanwo-Olu’s re-election. During the campaign, we took a position based on what he brought to the table, particularly in carrying us along in rebuilding and calibrating the entire ecosystem of the sector”.
Dr. Balogun who had the nod of WABOTAN President, Mr. Tope Fajemirokun to speak on the expected directions to which the governor may further take to enhance connectivity and safe trips across Lagos littoral communities landscape, stated that the two bodies, will be available as a bridge and plank to open more rural areas to boats and ferry services, and prayed that the governor empowers LASWA to facilitate full realisation of making waterways transportation, a dream economy.
“We are comfortable with the leadership of LASWA which delivered professionally on the governor’s road map on water transportation. We also willing to partner the governor in reaching out and finding solutions to challenges to full empowerment of operations, particularly as verifiable contributors to state financial purse and the provision of skills acquisition opportunities and jobs in boating business.”
On water recreation, leisure and tourism, Dr Balogun, disclosed that the governor’s return to Alausa, will help define the water tourism road map, articulate its immediate and future financial content , connecting it to other models of transportation such as rail and ground ecosystem.
“Our associations are ready, really ready to mobilize to activate both the socioeconomic and security opportunities in water tourism and logistics. It’s big business elsewhere and we shall work with the governor and LASWA leadership to open this frontier”.
