The National President of the Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON), Dr. Ganiyu Tarzan Balogun, has called on the Federal Government to extend greater support to tourism practitioners, especially those operating along the nation’s waterways, to enhance the growth of the tourism economy.
Balogun, a pioneer in Nigeria’s water-based tourism sector and Chief Executive Officer of Tarzan Marine Enterprises, made the appeal in Lagos when a delegation from the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET) visited him to present a letter of nomination for an industry recognition award.
While commending the Federal Government for its ongoing efforts to develop inland waterways and improve safety standards, Balogun stressed that genuine industry players need stronger institutional backing to thrive.
“If government truly wants to grow the tourism and marine sectors, existing operators should be supported and encouraged, not sidelined,” he said. “We cannot build a sustainable tourism industry by discouraging those who have invested years of work and resources in it.”
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He lamented that bureaucracy and personal interests among some civil servants continue to stifle progress in the sector, warning that such attitudes discourage private investment and innovation.
Balogun praised the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) for initiatives aimed at improving safety, including the recent distribution of 42,000 free life jackets to boat operators.
“You cannot enter Tarzan boats without a life jacket. Beyond government’s support, I have personally procured additional safety equipment for passengers. ATBOWATON was the first association to enforce compulsory use of life jackets at its jetties,” he noted.
Presenting the award nomination, ANJET President, Mr. Okorie Uguru, described Balogun as a tourism ambassador whose leadership has enhanced safety awareness and professionalism in water-based tourism.
Veteran travel journalist, Frank Meke, also lauded Balogun’s contributions, describing him as “an institution whose passion and consistency have shaped the story of marine tourism in Nigeria.”
