Lagos Govt, jetty operators bicker over eviction

A long-drawn legal battle seems underway over the Lagos State Government’s recent forceful eviction of some jetty operators, as lawyer to Tarzan Marine Enterprises, Mr.Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has petitioned Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, seeking redress.

In his letter of June 20, 2016, he told the governor that his client,Mr. Ganiyu Balogun, leased the contested property from the state government for water transport jetties, boat yard, repairs and general maintenance for N13.5 million.

According to Adegboruwa, Balogun had paid for the licence, upon government’s approval, to operate the Lekki, Badore, Ikoyi, Ijede, Oworonsoki, Ebute-Iga, Elegbata and Victoria Island jetties.

Describing the state agents’ sudden, forceful eviction and destruction of his client’s boats as unlawful, he reminded the governor that though the state had appealed, the Federal High Court had on March 28, 2014 upheld the Federal Government’s exclusive power over Nigeria’s coastal and inland waters.

The Managing Director of Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mrs. Abisola Kamson, had explained in a statement that the recent eviction notices to commercial jetty operators, Tarzan Marine Enterprises and Metro Ferry, were to ensure safety and standard, and were in public interest.

According to her, while Tarzan could not validate its claims to25-year concession agreement with government for Ijede and Badore jetties since 2006,Metro Ferry went beyond using the portions of land allocated to it as operational base forElegbeta and Ikorodu jetties by building them up for other uses.

Accusing Tarzan of displaying a “potentially forged” receipt, Kamson disclosed thatinvestigationsby a government taskforce set up by the former administration proved false its claim of paying a total of N2.1million to the defunct Lagos State Ferry Services for the concession.

However, she explained that the state, following the recurring fatal accidents on its waterways and loss of revenue resulting from operators’ alleged breach of operational guidelines, was preparing a new framework for water transportation, which would accommodate both local and foreign investors.

Intent on modern jetties and ferries, Kamsonsaid the state planned to channel all its ferry routes to align them with the new guidelines, adding that the state was building “new, modern jetties and safe terminals.”

She further disclosed thatin conjunction with the private investors, whowere already available, the state would develop new guidelines to curb accidents and ensure standards“comparable to international best practices.”