Managers of the Lekki Free Zone and the Lagos Free Zone have expressed satisfaction at the Federal Government’s responsiveness to their concerns regarding the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
The managers expressed the satisfaction during a stakeholder engagement on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project on Friday in Lagos.
They emphasised the importance of road infrastructure to the zones for attracting investment, facilitating business activities, and ensuring smooth cargo evacuation.
They commended the willingness of the Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, to address the needs of the zones, saying it was a demonstration of Federal Government’s commitment to ease of doing business and industrial development.
Mrs Adesua Ladoja, Managing Director, Lagos Free Zone, expressed gratitude to the minister for effective communications and proactive engagements with all the free zones, regarding the road project.
She emphasised the importance of stakeholder engagements in planning.
She thanked the minister for addressing their concerns and needs adequately.
Ladoja described the Lekki Economic Area as encompassing 16,500 hectares, noting the significant infrastructure development occurring within it.
She stressed the importance of proper cargo evacuation in the area and acknowledged the government’s commitment to ease of doing business and continued industrialisation.
This, she said, was demonstrated by the government’s focus on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
Mrs Bolatito Ajibode, Deputy Managing Director, Lekki Free Zone, expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of the stakeholder engagement with the minister of works.
She said that the minister’s commitment addressed the concerns of the stakeholders.
She described the road project as a major business enabler, particularly for attracting investors.
Ajibode highlighted the crucial role of a good road network.
She said that, given the presence of a port in the area, the highway would complement existing infrastructure and boost economic activity within the Lekki Free Zone.
Earlier, Umahi said the Dangote Task Credit Road project, along with additional access roads, presented some conflicts with the Lekki Free Zone Company and the Lagos Free Zone Company.
Umahi said the Lekki Free Zone Company made some demands which included four flyovers parallel to its property on the coastal highway.
According to him, the ministry approved one flyover with ramps to facilitate evacuation of goods.
The minister also promised compensation for any Lekki Free Zone property affected by the coastal highway project.
He acknowledged the request of the Lagos Free Zone Company for solar lighting.
He also mentioned an agreement to construct two interchanges on the Dangote Task Credit Road.
On the Seventh Axial Route, Umahi said the road was undergoing procurement, saying it would run between the Lekki Free Zone and the Dangote Refinery.
He said that an agreement reached was to create a flyover where the Seventh Axial Route intersected the coastal highway, adding that roundabouts would then be constructed to connect to the Dangote service lanes.
The minister said that all agreements reached during stakeholder meetings would be publicly declared for transparency.
He emphasised the ministry’s commitment to stakeholder engagement throughout the period of implementation of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal project.
