The Managing Director of Lagos State Ferry Services (LAGFERRY), Hon. Ladi Balogun, on Saturday, called on the staff to be more efficient and put in their best to improve revenue generation.
Balogun gave the charge in Lagos at the ongoing 3-day management retreat tagged ” Leveraging on the waterways assets for improved revenue generation “
The retreat was organised by the agency for the staff.
In his goodwill message, the LAGFERRY Managing Director explained that the process of revenue generation has taken a new dimension with the recent launch of ‘Lagos Revenue Portal’ by the state government, urging the staff to key into the initiative in deepening the revenue of the agency.
He added that the agency would ensure blockage of all revenue leakages so as to improve in performance, adding that the retreat was an avenue to brainstorm on strategies needed for deepening revenue generation.
Balogun said the agency is working hard to achieve its core mandate, stating that the agency is doing more to decongest the roads through the waterways.
He stated that the agency is engaging more in advocacy and confidence building among the people on the essence and benefits of using the waterways for businesses and mobility.
He explained that with the existence of 20 boats, the agency has been able to commute two million people since its inception in 2020.
The LAGFERRY Boss said the State cannot rely on one mode of transportation considering its large population, adding that waterways had contributed immensely in reducing pressure on road transportation and that the agency has also helped in moving businesses on the waterways.
Speaking further, Balogun said the integration of the transportation system in Lagos had helped in boosting the local economy and make life ease for the people, stating that the multimodal transportation system is functional, purposeful and that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is intentional about integrating the transportation system.
He added that more private sector operators had shown interest in the waterways transportation, adding the State is doing everything to harness the blue economy for local economic development.
Balogun said the agency would be more dynamic in the delivery of its services to Lagosians, adding that the agency would come up with more initiatives to boost revenue.
” We have programmes that can be monetized and that would bring in more money for the partners, the agency and the State government. In this wise, we will be more creative and think deeply on how to monetise our initiatives for the betterment of the people”, said Balogun.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Seun Osiyemi, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Wale Musa, encouraged the people to use the waterways for business and transportation, saying it is the most safest and convenient mode of transportation.
Osiyemi stated that the integration of the transportation system would help in boosting economy and ease stress on Lagosians.
He charged the staff of the agency to scale up performance and be more efficient in revenue generation, adding that the State government would do everything to ensure the core mandate of the agency is achieved.
In his remarks, the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Taxation and Revenue, Mr Opeyemi Ogungbo, explained that with the existence of the Lagos Revenue Portal (LRP) LAGFERRY could view the bills paid by the users to the agency and also the users could their dowry card wallets for transportation purposes.
Ogungbo said the capacity building would entrench quality service delivery, adding that the teeming users of LAGFERRY would experience world class services.
The training is expected to strengthen the capacity of the agency’s staff in the area of quality service delivery and improved revenue generation for the betterment of the State.
