Some members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Bayelsa State have urged government to improve on water transportation system in the riverine areas of the country.
They told newsmen on Sunday in Yenagoa that improving on the system would improve movement and alleviate the suffering of the people in riverrine areas.
The NYSC members said proper development of the system would also link the communities and boost economic activities.
Mr Charles Nnalue, serving in Okpotuwari, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state said people in the riverrine communities encountered so many challenges moving in and out of the areas.
Nnalue said that he paid so much to travel to the community of his primary assignment.
“I serve in a community you can get to in less than 50 minutes, but you have to pay N2,500 to get there. There are other communities beyond that and people pay higher to get there.
“With my few months’ experience, I can say that water is a safe means of transportation, if well developed,” he said.
Miss Caroline Adeyemi complained of travelling on water saying that the transportation system was below the modern standard.
“There are few boats conveying people and it costs so much to travel on a boat. Government should make effort to develop the system like the other means of transport.
“I was afraid the first time I boarded a boat, but now, such fears are no more,” she said.
In his reaction,  the Chairman of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) in the state Mr Lloyd Sese, attributed the high transport fares on water to the high cost of maintaining the boats.
Sese said: “The cost of procuring and maintaining boats is the major challenge. The fuel consumption of a boat is much higher than that of a car.
“We charge N1, 500, N2, 500, N3, 000 and N4, 500 per passenger for trips, depending on distance.
“Marine transportation can be said to be very expensive, but it is by far cheaper than road and air transportation, when moving goods in bulk,” he said.