The Barge Operators Association of Nigeria (BOAN) has appealed to the federal and Lagos State governments to allow legitimate operators on the Marina coastline to continue.
The BOAN President, Mr Edeme Kelikume, told Naturenews in Lagos on Thursday that legitimate operators at the Marine coastline had made huge investments.
Naturenews reports that the federal and Lagos State governments had ordered immediate end to barge operation and other related activities on the Lagos Marina coastline.
Lagos State Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the Minister of Transportation, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, gave the stop-work order during a joint inspection tour around the Marina coastline.
According to Kelikume, from what the government officials said, marina axis was not designed for such an operation.
“However, from information gathered, the same government gave certain people licences to operate there.
“People have made huge investments to put up equipment there.
“We, as members of an association, are craving indulgence from government at the state and federal levels for those that have legitimate cases, those who were given approval to operate at that particular location.
“We are asking: “What happens to them and their legitimate investments in that area?
“Those who do not have approval at all and do not have any documentation to back it up, do not have any case,” he said.
Kelikume told Naturenews that the association was consulting internally with its stakeholders and members to verify their levels of documentation before making a paper presentation to the government on the issue.
