The Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water
Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON), last Monday complained about the dangers
posed by logs abandoned by timber dealers on the waterways.

Mr Ganiyu Balogun, the National President of the association
told our correspondent  in Lagos that the
development was a major threat to navigation and could cause boat mishaps.

Balogun also said that the water hyacinth on the waterways
had been hindering their operation.

“This area of transportation has been experiencing a lot of
hindrances occasioned by some natural and man-made factors.

“ These factors are water hyacinth and abandoned logs by
timber dealers along the water channels.

“This had several times resulted in boat mishaps which also
had caused loss of lives and other valuables”, he said.

Balogun said that abandoned logs had made it difficult for
members of the association to operate their boats effectively.

He called on the state government to render assistance to
the association by addressing the problems, adding that it was the
responsibility of the government to ensure that the waterways were free.

“If something urgently is not done by the regulatory bodies
on the sides of state and local governments, this could put us out of
operation.

“It can also have adverse effect on the nation’s economy,’’
he said.

He said water transportation was an area of the economy that
could not be neglected by any responsible government as it could generate huge
employment.