Nigeria, Feb. 11 -- The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has urged state governors to invest heavily in water transportation, including the procurement of boats, as a way to reduce the cost of transportation across the country.

Mr Oyetola, a former governor of Osun State, made the call on Tuesday while appearing before a joint committee of the House of Representatives on Marine Transport, Ports, Maritime Safety, Education and Administration; Shipping Services; Inland Waterways; and Ocean and Fisheries.

The minister said the federal government had already procured and distributed boats for use on waterways across different parts of the country, but stressed that state governments must also play their part.

"We ca...