Boat operators under the auspices of the Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association have lauded President Bola Tinubu over the removal of fuel subsidy.
Tinubu had in his inauguration speech on Monday in Abuja stated that his administration would not continue to pay subsidy on petrol.
Reacting to this, the President of WABOTAN, Babatope Fajemirokun, in a chat with journalists in Lagos described the move as a bitter pill necessary for the country’s healing.
“Sometimes, you have to swallow a bitter pill to get healed; we have seen this subsidy removal as such. We see this government as listening government and open. We want them to bring up whatever palliative is necessary to cushion the effect. Some Nigerians have been clamouring for the removal of subsidy for a long time. Some have even described it as a fraud. So, it is a welcomed idea, and we will get used to it. For us as boat operators, we do not think this is something that would choke everybody,” he noted.
Fajemirokun described Tinubu as the only Nigerian president that understood the importance of the maritime sector to the gross domestic product of the economy.
He, however, urged the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to consider handing over the newly commissioned jetties across the state to WABOTAN to help manage them for optimal performance.
Speaking in the same vein, the Public Relations Officer of WABOTAN, Raymond Gold, said by way of concession, the association was seeking the administration and control of the newly commissioned jetties by the Lagos State Government.
Recall that Governor Sanwo-Olu recently commissioned four newly constructed jetties, which include the Ijegun-Egba Jetty, Ilashe Jetty in Amuwo-Odofin, Isalu-Ajido Jetty, Marina Badagry Jetty.
He said, “We identify with the Lagos State Government in building these jetties. Where there are good jetties, it promotes waterways safety.
It also improved the look and feel of the encouragement where they are built.
WABOTAN is a major stakeholder and we feel we have a major role to play in managing these jetties.” (Punch)
