Utilise Idle State Rivercraft

Plans by the Rivers State  Government
to take stock of rivercraft belonging
to the State and the possible deployment of the water vessels to commercial use brings attention to an aspect of governance that had been overlooked for many years.
Being a state that comprises of a lot of creeks and rivers, the near disregard for the transportation needs of a big section of the State cannot be explained. Indeed, the absence of safe boats and cost effective means of transportation to a lot of the communities in the delta only serves to intimidate the people.
That is why the attention being brought to that sector by the present government is very commendable.  While light would once again be brought to marine transportation, the plan will go a long way to salvage wasting state assets on the one hand and create value on the other.
The Tide is sad that while riverine communities groan under the weight of transport related challenges, rivercraft acquired by some governments many years ago lie around different places doing nothing.  Some are already going bad in some military dockyards, office premises and water fronts.  Some of the boats have never been put to use but can provide access to more communities, pull down the cost of river transport and open another source of income for the Rivers State Government.
The plan will also provide employment opportunity for some Rivers people.  Indeed, it will promote commerce and easy access to healthcare and the much-needed socio-economic activity in the State. Perhaps, this will also erase the feeling of neglect in some of the communities in the water based areas of the State.
For too long, has water transportation been denied the attention it deserves.  To say the least, transportation by river is fast becoming an uncalculated risk in many riverine areas.  In some cases, the type of boat needed are absent, in others, the condition of the vessels are terrible, yet  fares are exhorbitant.
Commuters in the riverine area have been severally traumatized by all manner of challenges.  In addition to uncleared wreckages in the waterways, pirates now operate with ease, while rescue operations or arrangements are absent. But this must change.
That is why the Rivers State Government may need to fully revive the Rivers State Marine Transport Company to bring in government, presence in marine transportation and deal with all the ancillary challenges.  The firm should be able to interface with the private sector in the business and bring back some measure of sanity in that sector.
The Tide expects that riverine communities that have been linked to the State capital by road should also have boat services. These alternative routes will come in handy in times of rush or senseless attacks on some roads. The state of some roads also will make an alternative route very reasonable.
Perhaps, the time has come for river transportation to be planned to also cover some smaller communities and open more places to development and the most needed government presence. Even within the State capital the use of unsafe boats had caused many deaths at the Nkpor area while trying to ferry people to the mainland.
We hope that those rivercraft lying waste will be brought out as soon as possible to link the people in a responsible and sustainable manner. Rivers people will want to see their government pioneering the things that affect their safety and economic well being. Thankfully, the Rivers State Government has taken the first most important step.
Even so, the extension of roads to more communities in the delta remains the best approach to bringing the people closer to the centre.  Roads projects like the Unity Road and the Trans-Kalabari Road should be completed quickly to include more people in the economic bracket of the State.