Ihejirika, Balogun and Meke during the meeting in Lagos
Janefrances Chibuzor
The National President of the Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON) and Managing Director of Tarzan Marine Enterprises, Dr. Ganiyu Tarzan Balogun, has urged the Federal Government to provide stronger support for tourism industry practitioners and boat operators across the country.
Dr. Balogun made the call in Lagos when a delegation from a professional body of travel and tourism journalists paid him a courtesy visit to present a letter notifying him of his nomination for an award of recognition for his decades-long contribution to Nigeria’s tourism and maritime development.
While commending the Federal Government’s recent efforts to make the waterways safer and promote the tourism sector, Balogun stressed the need for more inclusive policies that genuinely empower existing operators rather than stifle them.
According to him, “If the government wants to encourage operators in this business, those already on ground should be supported alongside new entrants. Killing the existing operators just to create room for friends or associates will not grow the sector.”
He lamented that bureaucratic bottlenecks and self-interest among some public officials continue to hinder progress in the tourism industry. “Some civil servants don’t like the truth because it doesn’t favour them. Many of their decisions are based on personal interest, and that has been bringing tourism backward,” he said.
Balogun singled out officials like Sarat Braimoh of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) for their professionalism and commitment to doing things the right way. He also applauded the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy for its recent provision of 42,000 free life jackets to boat operators nationwide.
“You cannot enter Tarzan boats without a life jacket,” he emphasized. “The government has supported us with life jackets, and I’ve also purchased additional ones myself. Our association, ATBOWATON, was the first to enforce compulsory use of life jackets at Mekwen Jetty, Bonny Camp, Victoria Island.”
He called on all boat operators to support the government by ensuring strict adherence to safety measures on the waterways.
Recounting his advocacy efforts, Balogun recalled how he once proposed the establishment of fuel stations on the waterways during a meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo at Aso Rock. “They approved some, but successive governments failed to continue with the plan. Today, most of those stations are no longer functional,” he noted.
Beyond his business, Balogun revealed that he continues to offer free ferry services to schoolchildren and uniformed personnel as part of his company’s corporate social responsibility. “From Tarkwa Bay to Victoria Island, and now Badore, I’ve always ferried students, police, navy, and army personnel free of charge,” he said.
Presenting the nomination letter, veteran travel journalist Mr. Frank Meke also praised Balogun’s legacy, describing him as “an institution” in the industry.
“When we talk about people like Tarzan Balogun, the government should listen and learn from his experience. He has the institutional memory of how this industry evolved,” Meke said. “The history of water transportation in Nigeria cannot be complete without his name.”
