LagFerry MD: Badore jetty not closed… we only have low passenger turnout

Abdulbaq Balogun, managing director of Lagos Ferry Service (LagFerry), says there has been a low turnout of passengers since the inauguration of new ferries in the state.

On Tuesday, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of the state, inaugurated 14 ferries at the Badore Ferry Terminal, Ajah, to cushion the effect of the ban on motorcycles and tricycles in the state.

Reacting to a social media post that the Badore jetty was closed a day after the inauguration, Balogun said it is not true.

“It is not true. It was fabricated. 15 passengers were conveyed from Badore jetty. There is a low turnout,” Balogun said.

“We are running scheduled trips. They came at the time we left the place. When you are running a scheduled trip, you cannot keep passengers waiting more than necessary.

“The way Badore operates, we don’t leave the gates open. They close it, not under locks and keys. We started operations 24 hours after the launch all over the places, Ijede, Ikorodu, CMS, Marina, Falomo, Ojoo and Mile 2. Even at Mile 2 our operational headquarters, we didn’t have any passenger on the second day of the launch, yet we are still running.”

Nejeeb Bello Oyarese, a Twitter user, had alleged that the jetty was locked a day after the governor launched the service.

Just yesterday, @JideSanwoolu came to Badore to launch @LagFerry, and today the Badore Jetty is under lock and key. Is this how we're going use pretense to fix the @FollowLASG transport deficiencies? #AudioFerry pic.twitter.com/QrFX3KvUN9

— Nejeeb Bello Oyarese (@NejeebBello) February 6, 2020

A commenter said the security officials at the gate informed him that the service had not started; another said the service had begun though with low patronage.

I almost cried. I spent Uber money down to the Jetty. Wanted to take the ferry to Ijede and connect to the mainland and avoid the rush out traffic. I just had a stomach upset immediately. I even asked the security if the had closed for the day, said they have not started at all

— Pinehurst Estate (@pinehurstestate) February 6, 2020

This was stationed at the badore terminal this morning . Though the turn out was average capacity, the ferry picked passengers to their destination irrespective of the number of passengers picked. For citizens that live around lekki phase 2, Ajah, badore, ibeju lekki inward; pic.twitter.com/5uTjWP3U7V

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— Annadeyanju (@annadeyanju) February 7, 2020