Yenagoa—Dr. Inenyo Esinte, a development activist has called on the Bayelsa State government to establish a well-planned and sustainable mass transit ferry services to ameliorate the sufferings of riverine rural dwellers in the state.
He suggested that the state government can achieve this through public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements to help cushion the economic hardship on coastal communities dwellers occasioned by Fuel subsidy removal.
Esinte made the call via a statement sent to Mangropen.ng on Wednesday.
He said this is imperative given that 70% of Bayelsa State is constituted by water hence the need to establish safe, affordable, sustainable ferry services for designated coastal routes for the conveyance of persons, goods, and services to cushion the high cost of transportation of goods and services.
According to him, the establishment of the mass ferry transit services will boost tourism activities in some coastal communities, enhance the micro-economies of coastal communities, and boost the economy and internal revenue drive of Bayelsa State overall.
Esinte who is also a medical practitioner added that the ferry services can also be a revenue earner for the State and greatly promote the economy and well-being of riverine communities and the state at large.
He said, “The removal of Fuel subsidy has worsened the economic hardship, struggle for daily survival and pushed many households into dire economic adversity.
“Petroleum Motor Spirit(PMS) being a complementary good, its subsidy removal has adversely affected the prices of goods and services in Nigeria with attendant socio-economic hardship on families and households.
“One major sector of the Nigerian economy that is gravely and negatively affected and impacted by the removal of PMS subsidy is the transportation sector, with the cost of transporting persons, goods, and services being doubled, the increase in the cost of transportation of goods and services has also complementarily plummeted the prices of goods and services, making daily survival highly challenging, demanding and tough for families and households correspondingly.
“Sadly, riverine rural dwellers who have to transport goods and services to and fro cities to make a daily living, sustain, keep afloat and solvent their rural or micro-economies are the most adversely affected, hence the need to establish well planned and sustainable mass transit ferry services in Bayelsa State by the State Government through public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements to help cushion the economic hardship on coastal communities dwellers occasioned by Fuel subsidy removal.
*Bayelsa State is 70% water and most Communities are coastal and riverine, thus a need to establish safe, affordable, sustainable, and effective mass transit ferry services for designated coastal routes for the conveyance of persons, goods, and services to cushion the high cost of transportation of goods and services to and fro riverine, coastal, littoral or seaside communities in Southern Ijaw, Brass, Nembe, Ekeremor, and Sagbama Local Government Areas cannot be overstated and overstressed.
“Furthermore, the establishment of mass transit ferry services in Bayelsa State, beyond easing the high cost of transportation of goods and services, will also help to entrench, reinforce waterways safety, security, regulation and boost tourism activities in some coastal communities, enhance micro-economies of coastal communities, boost the economy and internal revenue drive of Bayelsa State overall.
“For reminiscence, most persons who had probably experienced ferry cruise from Nembe waterfront in Port Harcourt, in old River State to Nembe, Brass, Akassa, and some Communities coastal in Southern L.G.A can attest and affirm to the safety, coastal tours like pleasurable, recreational experience and exciting cruise of traveling in defunct mass transit ferry such as “Iniye Abbey” from Nembe waterfront in Port Harcourt, in old Rivers State to the above stated coastal communities in Bayelsa State, it was indeed an exciting, delightful and safe experience for ferry Travellers.
“Mass transit ferry services, if purposefully thought-out, planned, and established through public-private partnership can be a vital revenue earner for the State and greatly promote the economy and well-being of riverine communities and the state at large.
“Thus, this is an advocacy and a call on the Government of Bayelsa State to x-ray modalities to establish mass transit ferry services to ameliorate the sufferings of coastal rural dwellers and boost the economy of the State in a win-win approach.”
