Due to the temporary closure of the third mainland bridge for repairs, the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA has flagged off a project to deploy 40 floating jetties to help ease the traffic and to complement the flagging-off of four new water transportation routes located at Adekunle, under the Third Mainland Bridge outward Oworoshonki from Yaba, at Lekki phase one by NIWA police post, Oyingbo, and at Oworoshonki, inbound Lagos Island.
Two of the four new routes, at Adekunle (Yaba) and Lekki phase one, were opened for immediate operation while the remaining two, at Oworoshonki and Oyingbo, will be put to use after minor dredging of the waterfront ambience.
According to Sarat Lara Briamah, Lagos Area Manager of NIWA:
”This alternate transportation services certainly will help reduce traffic flow, save users of the bridge expected stress, loss of valuable man-hour and also ease vehicular movement of goods and services out of the island, not foreclosing the health benefits of using water transportation”,
“Our Managing Director, George Moghalu mandated us in Lagos to be futuristic and proactive in the discharge of our obligations and of an inclusive response to the challenge of the partial closure of the bridge but to also holistically chart a new agenda in opening-up certain waterfront areas, deploying floating jetties not just about temporary response but as a strategic plan to make every part of Lagos accessible by water and provide roads on water.”
“We are collaborating with the Lagos chapter of the Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters (ATBOWATON) and their Chairman, Lawal Saheed, has assured of a hundred percent buy-in on this project,”
“We are determined to make it work despite lean resources at a time like this and we expect Lagosians to embrace the effort. And to make the new routes popular, we have done radio jingles and likewise, printed hands bills to be distributed at strategic points to motorists and other commuters who will be encouraged to park their vehicles either at home or at the designated jetty areas and take to the waters for ease of doing business even after the bridge is fully opened to capacity operations,”