………….charges them on increased productivity
As part of the efforts to bring efficiency to water transportation operations as a way of making it a possible alternative mode, Lagos State Government has organized a 2 – Day performance appraisal / capacity building training for the Management staff of the Lagos State Ferry Services, LAGFERRY with a charge on them by the State Government to double their efforts so as to make water transportation more attractive and a considered alternative.
LAGFERRY Managing Director, Hon. Abdoulbaq Ladi Balogun stated that the Workshop with the theme, “Resilient Sailing for Sustainable Economy” aimed at reviewing the success made by the agency in the Year 2020 with a view to strategically prepare it for the challenges ahead in the New Year, towards building a resilience sailing economy necessary for greater economic prosperity for the State.
Balogun while noting that the on-going transport sector reforms embarked upon by the Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu led administration are fast yielding positive results, disclosed that the agency was able to commute 200, 000 passengers in the first 150 days of the present administration, while expressing optimism that the vision for building a Smart city state with an intermodal transportation system would be realized in record time.
‘’it is gratifying to note that the deliberate commitment of Mr Babajide Sanwo Olu administration to engender intermodal transportation system is beginning to take shape as there is noticeable increasing demands for water transportation by commuting public. LAGFERRY recorded unprecedented milestones last year in our commercial operations despite the disruption caused by the ENDSARS protest and the coronavirus pandemic’’
Speaking further, the LAGFERRY boss disclosed that the State Government in its determined efforts to make water transportation a widely accepted alternative mode of transportation in the State, has approved procurement of additional 7 brand new commercial passenger Ferry boats for LAGFERRY to enhance its operational capacity in furtherance of the intermodal transport policy of the State Government.
While commending the State Government for approving the workshop, the LAGFERRY MD noted that the 2 –day Strategic Management Workshop would help his Management staff to appraise their performances over the years and come up with a new strategic approach that can increase their productivity and efficiencies in water transportation sub sector of the economy.
‘’ with the approval of additional 7 passenger Ferry boats by the State Government, our agency would have a total of 20 boats in its fleet, I promise that our men would double their efforts to ensure that the mandate given to us by the State Government to commute 30% of the residents through water transportation will be met in record time’’ Balogun pledged.
He explained that the agency had also been able to assist in saving jobs that would been lost due to the state of the Apapa road through its barge operation by moving trucks and cargoes on the waterways.
“Between January and December 2020, we have successfully moved 41,040 trucks from our terminal. 2308 cleared goods containers have been received from the port. 941 containers have been loaded back to the port. We have also been able to create 284 employment directly and indirectly”.
In his keynote address, the Chief Resilient Officer, Lagos State Resilience Office, Arc. Gbolahan Oki commended the Management for building the capacity of its workforce, adding that training and retraining of personnel is crucial to achieving greater productivity and competency necessary for socio- economic growth and infrastructure development.
Oki charged the personnel to consider the workshop as an opportunity to review their performances over the years, analyze their challenges while they contribute meaningfully to experts’ discussions on how to take the water transportation system of the State to a greater level.
The Chief Resilience Officer advised LAGFERRY to put in place appropriate resilient strategies that would allow it to grow in the face of any challenges including; efficient risk management system, effective business continuity plans, change management, effective communication system, compliance with all safety protocols among others.
In his remarks, former Press Secretary to the Osun State Government, Mr Semiu Okanlawon commended Lagos State Government for its various reforms in the transport sector, adding that an efficient integrated transport system is genuinely required in an emerging Smart city with an estimated population of over 26 million people.
He specifically commended Governor Sanw Olu for working hard to find lasting solutions to the lingering Apapa/ Oshodi traffic bottlenecks, noting that the road is too important to the economic growth of the country to be neglected.