Press Releases

LASG To Build Shopping Malls, Multi-Storey Car Parks On Lagos Island CBD

May 20, 2008 - The Lagos State Government is to convert all open spaces and abandoned buildings on the Central Business District (CBD) of Lagos Island into shopping malls and multi-storey car parks in order to attract investment into the Island.

The proposal is also meant to restore sanity and aesthetic beauty of the Island which has, over the years, suffered a high level of environmental abuse and infrastructural degradation and vandalism by street traders, urchins and loafers.

Special Adviser to the State Governor on Central Business Districts in the State, Honourable Oyinlomo Danmole, who made the disclosure on Tuesday at a Ministerial Press Briefing in commemoration of the one year in office of the present administration, also revealed that a Private/Public Partnership arrangement was being worked out to maintain some of the historic monuments on the Island.

Danmole told the Government House Correspondents at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre Alausa that the proposed facilities would come with executive toilets to maintain hygienic environment on the Island and car park metres in identified areas to ameliorate parking problems in the district.

He said the objective of the State Government was to restore the Island, which is one of the State’s designated Central Business Districts, to a more serene and conducive place for both business and relaxation in line with the nature of such business districts all over the world.

The Special Adviser expressed dismay that over the years, and due to neglect, the Island had lost its former glory and attraction as street traders practically made movement impossible into and out of the Island while street urchins and other social miscreants made life unbearable for investors and visitors.

According to the Special Adviser, as a result of the unchecked activities of these groups of people, some notable investors were forced to relocate their businesses outside the Island while others, including residents and visitors moved with fear.

“Notable companies like the banks and others were forced to move their personnel to their offices outside the Island because of the problem of accessibility and security” the Special Adviser said adding, however, that as a result of the activities of the Central Business District Office, life was gradually returning to the Island.

Danmole said as a measure to provide conducive environment for shoppers and workers on the Island, plans were at an advance stages towards obtaining corporate sponsorship to provide uninterrupted power supply on the famous Nnamdi Azikiwe and Broad streets while an alternative source of energy such as the solar energy was being seriously considered.

He said the CBD Office was also discussing with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lagos Island Unit, local and foreign motor dealers on an arrangement to ensure a more efficient transportation system in the CBD.

In order to maintain the aesthetic environment in the Island, the CBD authority also plans to procure a static compactor and chassis as well as 250 litter bins for the collection of the over 100 metric tones of waste generated by traders in the 93 markets on the Island.

On the achievements of the Office in the last one year, Danmole said the greatest achievement was the restoration of sanity on the Island especially the dislodgement of traders on the Carter Bridge.

He said transport management on the Lagos CBD has been greatly enhanced with the creation of five operational squads to, among other things; eradicate illegal parking and operation of unapproved motor parks.

“Today, you can drive in and out of Lagos Island with ease while the case of harassment by street urchins has become a thing of the past”, he said adding that many companies which hitherto abandoned their offices on the Island have returned.

He said the Office created jobs for a considerable number of youths, including graduates and non-graduates who, according to him, are serving in various capacities as traffic and sanitation corps as well as street sweepers.

“In order to achieve the ministerial objective of the CBD, the core of our operation centres on enforcement of traffic and sanitation regulations. The department consists of about 250 traffic and sanitation corps with experienced ex-servicemen serving as commanders”, he said.

The Special Adviser said work was also on-going on the other Central Business Districts such as the Ikeja CBD, Apapa CBD and the Lagos Mainland CBD.