By Wednesday, June 10, 2020, makes it 61 days of excellent commuting services on the Lagos State Inland Waterways of the reinvigorated LAGFERRY.
The LAGFERRY, launched my Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, despite the 60% limited operating capacity forced by COVID-19, recorded the highest passengers’ ridership on a single day of ferry operation, commuting a total of 1175 passengers.
Blackboxnigeria learnt that the height was achieved through a combined 53 trips, using the 12 passengers boats.
Blackboxnigeria also gathered that LAGFERRY covered a cumulative distances of 1422km within 1658 minutes of operations across strategic routes of; Ikorodu, Ojo, Ijegun Egba, Mile 2, Apapa Liverpool, TinCan Island, CMS/MARINA, Ebute Ero, Ijede, Victoria Island, Falomo-Ikoyi and Badore.
Lagos Ferry Services Company (LFSC) (also known as LAGFERRY) is the major ferry services provider in Lagos state. Although Lagos ferry services commenced operations in 1925, passenger ferries gradually intensified until the 1970s which led to the establishment of Lagferry in 1983.
The former Lagos State Ferry Services Corporation as at jakande’s administration was wound-down as an agency of the Government due to lack of evidence of its legal incorporation.
The entity was responsible for both the regulatory and operational aspects of water transportation.
The Lagos State Waterways (LASWA) was established in 2008 and is responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance of operators to the former Gov. Babatunde Raji Fashola’s administration policy, in addition to being a resource hub for all manners of marine related matters.
This provides the appropriate enabling environment for potential operators to implement their business strategies and capitalize on the vast number of commuters seeking alternate transport in Lagos.
In that same year 2008, a new company Lagos State Ferry Services was incorporated as a Limited Liability Company to operate Water Transportation services within Lagos State. A Managing Director was appointed for LFSC in July 2012 and charged with establishing a new company to operate as a state owned enterprise.
A few years Later the current Administration appointed a new Chairman in February 2016 while the Managing Director resigned.
The current governor Gov. Babajide Sanwoolu appointed a new Managing Director Hon. Abdoulbaq Ladi Balogun in August 2019 to implement one of the T.H.E.M.E vision of Lagos State specifically Transport and traffic management with the aim of diversifying into other means of Transportation such as utilizing the waterways. He has mandated the operations of the ferries by year 2020.
