- FG Urged to Create Enabling Environment for Boat Operators
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Multimodal Transport Technologies Limited, Mr. Kayode Olowu, has appealed to the Lagos State Government to create an enabling environment for boat operators.
This, he said will make them provide the needed services for members of the public.
Olowu, who made this known, recently, at the unveiling of his organisation’s warehouse and showroom, in Lagos, also stressed the need for government to give waivers especially on taxation, so as to reduce cost of doing business for all boat operators.
He described the showroom as a one-stop shop that would cater for leisure and commercial boat owners, adding that it was also in line with the Lagos State government objective of improving navigation on the waterways to facilitate water transportation and private investment.
“We cater for land and marine transport needs of various multifaceted companies in Nigeria. For instance, if you have a little issue, you can get into the store and get spare parts for your boats.
“It has been a challenge for most marine businesses getting original parts for on time businesses. So what we have done is to put all these factors in one place so that we can make it easier for transport to run, ” he said.
Olowu said the showroom was the first in the country , noting that it was his organisation’s contribution to marine logistics.
The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Taiwo Oluremi Salam, commended the organisation over the initiative, saying it would help boat owners who have problems with their boats to access the facilities.
According to him, “This facility here is first in West Africa. You can imagine a boat with propeller issue, all you need to do is to write to the organisation and it is immediately fixed.
“They have the spare parts, welders and other specialists that will repair the boat, so it’s a super one.”
Also, the General Manager, Lagos State Waterways Authority ( LASWA), Mr. Damilola Emmanuel, described what the organisation was doing as a welcome development saying, “we will have an efficient way of being able to fix boats and have the parts readily available to ensure movement of boats on our waterways.”