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Fashola assures stakeholders as new Lekki masterplan is unveiled

Thursday, 14 August 2008

Lagos Sate Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Wednesday assured developers and stakeholders in the Lekki corridor that the proposed comprehensive master plan for the area would incorporate all developments already included in the approved layout plan for the area.

The Governor who spoke at the public presentation and stakeholders forum on the comprehensive master plan for Lekki sub-region held at the Lagoon Restaurant, Victoria Island, added that the master plan as presented should not be viewed as a project to be awarded but a projection and plan for the future about how the land of the people should be used.

He added that the State Government believes it is a process which everybody should contribute to its making.

In his words: “we have brought it to the open so that the owners of the land, the users of the land, the builders of the land, the architects and town planners can participate in developing the master plan into what the government thinks it should be”.

Governor Fashola informed that the master plan has incorporated the Free Trade Zone, the deep seaport, centre of industrial activities and employment, a new airport, an International Golf Course and Oso Lekki Cultural Festival (seasonal meeting of the Atlantic Ocean and fresh water Lagoon) to attract international tourism and business, two alternative highways to the Lekki- Epe expressway and power plants for the whole sub area among others.

Governor Fashola explained that when the master plan is fully in place, the state would have succeeded in ensuring total remaking of the physical, town planning and urban laws of Lagos State which is currently undergoing reforms.

He declared that from the presentations, it has been revealed that government should now focus more on developments on the Lagoon rather than the Atlantic which hitherto has been the centre of all activities adding that it is safer and calmer to develop the Lagoon.

Explaining that as a popularly elected administration, the government takes care to carry the citizenry along at all times, Governor Fashola recalled that in the last twenty four hours, he has held discussions with many stakeholders including those involved in sand dredging who have through their activities also raised some issues which borders on ecology, safety and coastal challenges facing Lagos.

He added that the future oriented Lekki Master plan has also taken cognizance of such issues in such a way that development lines must be set and such parametres adhered to by practitioners to ensure safety and preservation of the eco system.

Governor Fashola said when completed, it can be categorically asserted that XYZ roads would be in a particular area, insisting that whether it would be a possibility would depend on the willingness of the stakeholders to agree that it is the law that will regulate what happens in the area.
Said he: “In foreign jurisdictions, the town planning laws are part of the curriculum of the children from primary school such that they can predict what will happen in their cities and states at any particular period of time”.

He said the new plan would make any land in the area attractive for real estate investment, such that any would be investor has the confidence that “this people would be developing in the lagoon, I can put an hotel there, not that I have to put an hotel there only to discover later that it is a shanty”.

He informed that adequate provision has also been made for disposal of waste and storm water which has been responsible for devaluing many estates across Lagos and Nigeria .

The Governor reiterated that from the propositions of the consultants, it is clear that what has been developed in Lekki as at today which is only the Western side needs a lot of infrastructure to upgrade and that government is already addressing the upgrading through expansion of the Lekki- Epe Expressway and development of the coastal roads.

Governor Fashola promised that the third part of the upgrade is the provision of the Fourth Mainland Bridge which the present administration committed itself to as an electoral promise which it would redeem.

He also informed that water transportation is also being developed with Badore, Ikorodu, Oworonshoki and the Lagoon serving as the hub which will see the construction of three new ferry terminals and jetties at Badore, Ipakodo and Osborne foreshore in Ikoyi opposite the Dolphin Estate.

He recalled that the need to arrest uncontrolled and unplanned development and growth, to re-order the present and plan for the future has informed the decision of the government to prepare an Infrastructure Master Plan for the Lekki sub- region.

He said although a huge population can and should be an asset, uncontrolled urban sprawl and poor planning , resulting in traffic jams, inadequate waste management , inefficient transportation , regular power outages, congestion, pollution and economic dislocations are some of the challenges being faced in the area.

The Lagos State Governor explained that the Lekki Infrastructure and Land Use Master Plan is a partnership between the Lagos State Government and the primary stakeholders in the sub region aimed at introducing order and functionality into the Lekki Sub- region to rescue the huge investments and the environment from going to waste.

He called for questions, suggestions and constructive criticisms from the members of the public, especially on how the report would affect them, on areas that may have been omitted in the report and on areas that require amendments or further explanation respectively, “not only at this meeting but also through the website designated for the purpose which is www.lagosstategov.ng/web/physical_ planning/lekki_masterplan.com, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , assuring that the various contributions would be reflected in the final plan which, he said, would be signed into law after consideration by the State Legislature.

Declaring the Stakeholders Forum open, the Governor, who said he was humbled and grateful for the privilege to be the one to lead Lagosians across the bridge “towards a brighter rewarding future”, expressed the hope that the forum would produce “a Master Plan that will be an investment document for the entire region, the whole of Lagos Mega-City and beyond”.

In his presentation of the master plan, the managing partner of Dar al Handersah, Shair and Partners, Mr. Hathan Abduejabar vividly said the team has taken its time to draw out a master plan which would ensure that the Lekki sub region become a new treasure city that Lagos would be proud of.

In their contributions, the stakeholders committee through its spokesperson, Town Planner M.O Ajayi said that the committee expects the state government to ensure the active participation of the local Governments along with other stakeholders in the implementation of the final approved plan.

He concluded that: “we of the stakeholders’ forum congratulate ourselves for this epoch making achievement and event and invite all of you to join us in the implementation of the plan so that we can have the Lagos of our dreams”.

In his contribution, the Oba of Lagos, HRM Oba Rilwan Akiolu commended the Governor for his far reaching initiatives at developing the Lekki Sub- region and Lagos in general describing him as a man who is determined to succeed and take the State to higher heights.

The Royal father also appealed to the state government to consider the land owners in the scheme of things so that adequate care can be taken of their interest on the land in the corridor when the final master plan is considered.

Also contributing, the Ojomu of Ajiranland, Oba Akinloye appealed to the state government to take the landowners and families along in the development process.

Earlier in his welcome address, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Town Planner Francisco Abosede explained that the world’s urban population in 2008 is estimated to be 3.3 Billion whilst it is equally projected that it will grow by 48 percent to 4.9 billion by Year 2030.

He added that the resultant effects of rapid urbanization require new infrastructure such as motorable roads, potable water, energy, health facilities and effective communication networks.

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Comments (1)

	1. Written by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it on 25-08-2008 12:25 - Guest
	physical plan please would like to know more about the proposed master plan for the lekki coridor want to know wat the physical plan looks like please you could send it to ma mail box

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