Boat Operators, LASWA Trade Blame Over Licensing Procedures

• ``It costs a lot of money to operate a boat” - Operators
• “We did not ask any operator to pay N5 million to obtain a license” – LASWA Boss
Commercial boat operators in Lagos on Monday appealed to the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) to make the conditions for getting operating licences less stringent, to encourage investors in water transportation.
The operators, under the aegis of the National Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters (NATBOWAT), described the registration process as highly demanding.
The President of NATBOWAT, Mr James Balogun, told newsmen that it costs N5 million to secure a licence and N1.5 million to operate on the waterways.
``A small boat will cost you about N3 million to build, coupled with the N5 million for licencing and N1.5 million to operate on designated routes; this may discourage many intending investors.
``It costs a lot of money to operate a boat; boats consume more fuel than vehicles and we pay charges to all tiers of government.
``Government can help to reduce the registration fees and procedures, to encourage other investors, `` he said.
Balogun, who is also the Managing Director, Tarzan Boats, said that the operators also had the problem of multiple taxation.
Another operator, Mr Taofiq Balogun, the Managing Director, FIKIBA Boats Ltd., said that it took the government some years to grant him approval as an operator and such delays could discourage many investors.
``It took me some years to get approval to start my project; this can discourage many intending investors in the country, `` he said.
The director, who, however, commended LASWA for enforcing safety laws on the waterways, called for more support from the state government, noting that boat operation was expensive.
Balogun said that his company would take delivery of a 200-passenger capacity boat in December, to boost water transportation in the metropolis.
The director, who noted that the high-capacity boat was nearing completion in Australia, said that it would help in the massive transportation of people and goods in the state.
``Water transportation is very interesting and I am keen about investing my resources in it; it is fast, safe and enjoyable but government has to give the investors more encouragement, `` he said.
In his reaction, the Managing Director of LASWA, Mr Olayinka Marinho, however, said that the authority did not ask any operator to pay N5 million to obtain a license.
Marinho, who did not give the amount charged to obtain the license, simply said that they would not charge any person more than the laws required.
He added that the government was investing a lot of funds in dredging and infrastructure, to make the waterways safer.
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