FASHOLA UNVEILS PLANS TO CREATE 20,000 JOBS IN IBEJU-LEKKI AXIS
•Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State yesterday announced plans by his administration to open up Ibeju- Lekki axis for investors through the ongoing construction of Lekki Free Trade Zone, LFTZ which, he said, would create minimum of 20,000 jobs upon completion.
Fashola, who spoke during a political rally of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), held at the Community Primary School ground Iberekodo, in Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area, added that a 2,000 already completed housing scheme would soon be commissioned and sold on the basis of first come first serve.
The governor told a mammoth crowd of party supporters at the open field of the primary school that his government had begun massive infrastructural development in the area with the aim of making it an investment destination in Lagos and Nigeria in general.
He disclosed that an international airport, seaport and an oil refinery would be built in a matter of few years, saying the project had passed design stage and that the soil test was ongoing before embarking on the next stage.
Fashola, who assured the people of the state especially the residents of Ibeju-Lekki that if ACN candidates were re-elected and elected in April polls there would be consolidation of many life improving projects in the state.
He recalled some of the infrastructural projects already delivered to the people in Ibeju Lekki to include six completed public schools, completion of two million gallons of water, completion of Awoyaya, Iya Oba and other access roads in Ikeju, while seven roads had been approved for construction in the 2011 budget as well as the construction of child-maternal health centre.
Fashola also promised to break the housing mortgage jinx if voted in for a second term as the state governor in the next April general elections,stressing that housing mortgage would be the first problem he would tackle if elected on April 16.
He explained that housing mortgage has been a strong weapon his Fashola's critics, who have been citing the achievement of former Governor Lateef Jakande in the provision of low cost houses as the minimum standard the state deserves.
He said: 'is a clear detour from the type of houses provided during his first term in office, many of which has been described as elitist. '
?Fashola also explained that the promise 'is no longer a dream as about 2170 low cost houses out of which about 200 are sited in Ibeju Lekki have been built across the state as a pilot test of the planned housing mortgage.
?'To own any of these houses, you will only pay thirty percent of the one you like and complete the payment over 10 to 15 years. And as the mortgage business expands, the number of years will be extended to 25 years.
'But the house becomes yours the very day you pay the 30 percent deposit' he said, adding that the houses will be given out on first come first serve basis. If you are number 101 on the payment list, you will wait until the 101th house is built,' he said.
?Fashola further said the state government 'has already secured the needed land for the housing scheme in twelve locations across the state. He added that the least of the lands is 30 hectares while the biggest is about 400 hectares'.
Fashola therefore urged the people of Ibeju-Lekki to 'keep the ACN party in power, remain peaceful; receive investors with open hands and warm smile because his plan is to make Ibeju Lekki sub region of the state the future prosperity of Nigeria.
?He added that the area 'is already being dubbed the fastest growing real estate zone in West Africa and it will soon host the biggest Free Trade Zone in West Africa in addition to an airport, a seaport, fertiliser and petrochemical companies'.
?'I just returned from Scotland where we went to finalise the arrangement of gas supply that will be used for the Independent Power Project of the Lekki Free Trade Zone and all of Ibeju Lekki area. The ACN government knows its responsibility to the people and the best way to discharge that responsibility,' Fashola explained.
He asked the residents of Ibeju-Lekki to get ready for a deluge of prosperous opportunities, promising them that they will get the best excision plan so far because he is personally supervising the ongoing excision exercise which will empower the indigent