The Lagos State Government on Friday said its decision to evict Tarzan Maritime Enterprises and Metro Ferry was because of their failure to comply with safety measures, validate claims and abide by terms of contract.

According to a statement by the Managing Director, Lagos State Waterways Authority, Ms. Abisola Kamson, the eviction notice served on the operators was in the interest of the public.

The government said Tarzan failed to validate its claims of a purported 25 years concession it allegedly entered into with the government in 2006 with regard to its operation in Ijede and Badore jetties.

The statement explained that the Babatunde Fashola administration had set up a task force in 2010 to validate the claim that the company had made two payments totalling N2.1m to the defunct Lagos State Ferry Services for a 25 years concession, but the claims could not be validated.

She said, “Based on that, Tarzan was asked to move out then, but through some back door arrangement, the operator came back to the terminals and all the while, has been holding on to a receipt that has not been validated and which could be potentially forged because there was no trace of any payment. He could also not provide the purported 25 years concession when asked.”

Breach of terms

As for Metro Ferry, Kamson said the operator was given approval on the Oworonsoki Terminal by the State Government to convey staff of Total from the terminus to their office on the Island, but went beyond the terms of approval.

“The approval clearly states that the ownership and maintenance of the jetty shall be retained by the Lagos State Government. It clearly states that it shall be made available for the general public and other licensed ferry operators.

“It clearly states that they must carry out all operations in conformity with extant health and safety regulations set by LASWA. The approval states all of that very clearly.

“But in breach of the approval, first of all, they were collecting fees from other people to use the jetty without remitting anything to government. They were in fact asking the agency of the State Government, Lagos Ferry Services Corporation to pay and that is in clear violation of the agreement they had with government.”

On the operation of the Elegbeta and Ikorodu jetties, Kamson explained that the state government allocated land to Metro Ferry to use as an operational base, which was to enable them pick and drop off passengers as well as establish a ticketing office.

She however said that Metro Ferry went beyond the approval to develop the land for other purposes beyond using the property for their operational base.

“They have gone ahead to have a car park, they have made it into a commercial jetty which they charge people; they collect all these monies and remits in line with that. All of a sudden, they are now saying they have a C of O which we were not aware of and they never informed us even in our meetings with them,” she said.

Safety first

She said aside the breach of terms by Metro Ferry the operator had jettisoned safety standards required for operating such commercial jetties, which according to her necessitated the eviction.

Kamson explained that while the state government was committed to encouraging private sector participation in the state, public safety came first.

“The state is committed to modern ferries being operated. The State is going to embark on channelisation of all the ferry routes within the state to make it modern and conform with the new regulations we have developed,” she said.

Source: Punch