…Says More to Come
In Due Course
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday
approved a total sum of N740,461,432.00 as compensation for host communities of
Parcel B comprising Yegunda, Abomiti and International Airport site of the
Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ).
The State’s Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and
Cooperatives, Prince Rotimi Ogunleye, who announced the approval of the
Governor at a media briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa,
said the development was in line the commitment of the Ambode administration to
engender a sustainable cordial relationship between the host communities and
investors in the LFTZ.
Ogunleye, who addressed the briefing alongside the Special
Adviser to the Governor on Commerce, Hon. Benjamin Olabinjo; Commissioner for
Local Government and Community Affairs, Hon. Muslim Folami; the Managing
Director of Lekki Worldwide Investments Limited, Dr. Tunde Sodade, among
others, said ever since coming on board, Governor Ambode has seriously and
holistically addressed the salient need to compensate the host communities,
adding that remarkable progress had been recorded in that regard.
While stating that the State Government has continued to
engage the host communities ever since the LFTZ project started in 2004,
Ogunleye said the engagement principally centered on the need for the
communities to recognize the multiplier effects of the project in terms of
employment generation and the value to be added to the socio-economic lives of
the people.
He said already, modalities were being put in place to
ensure hitch-free payment of the approved N740 million, adding that the payment
would be effected with immediate effect.
Responding to questions, Ogunleye said the compensation
exercise was a continuous process, revealing that N65 million was paid early
this year for land owners affected by the ongoing Dangote projects which
included petrochemical plant, gas project, fertilizer and refinery project
capable of refining 650, 000 barrels of oil per day.
He said before now, the host communities of the 3,000
hectares of land housing the LFTZ Development Agency, a company jointly owned
by the State Government and a consortium of Chinese investors, were heavily
compensated, adding that more land owners would be compensated in due course at
the end of verification and valuation exercise.
"Let me reiterate once again, the commitment of this
administration to Community Social Responsibility (CSR) and its readiness to
continue to heed the yearnings of our people in the areas covered by the LFTZ
and its complementary projects. I also need to assure both local and foreign
investors that all our projects in the corridor are fully on course and as an
administration, we are fully committed to them.
"At this time of economic downturn, our State as the nation
and Sub Saharan economic hub is providing this investment platform with huge
potentials as the best destination for direct investment. We are providing
appropriate road infrastructure to ease the operations of investors in the zone
and we will continue to sustain the friendly operating environment that now
subsists," Ogunleye said.
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