Mile 2 Jetty in shamble as Ambode plans to construct 8 new ferry jetties
Residents of Mile 2 and environs have called on the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode to rehabilitate the Mile 2 Ferry Jetty and put it to use so as to ease the intractable traffic gridlock along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
It would be recalled that since the resumption of serious construction activities along the emerging 10 lane international highway, traffic gridlock had been very irritating from morning till night on a daily basis.
Some residents of the area who spoke to Business Hilights at Mile 2 on Monday said there is no clear reason why the facility had been moribund since it was given a facelift few years ago.
Many of them said if the jetty is functional, many motorists and others working in Island but living in Festac or Satellite Town and environs would be off the road using the Jetty to access Marina and other waterfronts in the state.
One of the worried residents of Festac working on Island said “the first thing government need to do on the Mile 2 Jetty is to remove all the vessel wrecks at the waterfront to avoid accidents when it becomes operational”.
However, the Lagos State Government has given an indication that it will this year construct eight new concrete ferry jetties in coastal areas of the state.
The Commissioner for Waterfront Development, Mr. Adebowale Akinsanya, said at a media briefing on Monday at Alausa, Ikeja, that the new jetties would boost water transportation in the state.
According to him, “This will be the first state-owned ferry concrete jetties and we will ensure that they are of globally acceptable standard to ensure safety”.
“The jetties have been operating on public-private partnership and as a government, we want to set the pace for other investors who might be coming on board,” he said.
The briefing is part of activities marking the two years of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration.
Akinsanya gave the locations as Ilase in Ojo, Ito-Omu waterfront in Epe, Ilado in Amuwo-Odofin, Ofin waterfront in Igbogbo, Baiyeku waterfront in Igbogbo, VIP Chalet, Apa waterfront and Isalu-Iya Afin in Badagry.
Akinsanya recalled that the ministry had also started reclaiming of about 29.8 hectares at Oworonshoki foreshore where infrastructure would be provided that would serve as a major transportation hub for water and bus services.
He listed some of the ministry’s achievements as tackling the Atlantic Ocean surge between Goshen Estate and Alpha Beach with 6.8km stretch of the shoreline out of a total length of 7.3 km adequately protected.
