…As NCAA, LASG move to tackle high-rise structures on flight path***

The massive investments in the Lekki Free Trade Zone anchored by both the government and the private sector may soon transform Lagos into Africa’s most preferred business destination, the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode indicated on Sunday.

The Governor, according to Ambode’s Chief Press Secretary, Habib Aruna, in a remark while leading some business moguls which included Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Mr Femi Otedola, on an inspection of ongoing projects in the area.

Ambode who said the investments and the infrastructural renewal in the Lekki-Epe axis simultaneously ongoing were geared toward preparing the state for industrial revolution taking place in Nigeria and by extension the West African region, and stressed that it was gratifying that remarkable progress had been made, since the last time a major inspection tour of the projects was carried out.

He was particularly happy that the investment activities at the zone would positively impact on the economy of the state.

“We have just inspected the ongoing jetty project being done by Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

“You are all well aware that we flagged off the construction of Lekki Deep Sea Port some few weeks ago but more importantly this jetty is being done by the Dangote Group to more or less facilitate the movement of their heavy duty machinery to the petrochemical plant and other projects they are doing in this Lekki Free Trade Zone,” he said.

Ambode reiterated the commitment of the state government to continue to encourage and support investors to continue to do what is right for the economy, saying no efforts would be spared in providing the conducive atmosphere for investments to thrive in the state.

“What we are doing more importantly, as a government, is to continue to encourage the Dangote Group to do what is right for this country and for us to join hands together and collaborate to really show that Lagos is the next destination for the industrial revolution that is taking place in Nigeria.

“We are very happy to be doing this with him because we know that with the kind of infrastructure that we are providing around Lagos and the kind of infrastructure he is also providing, this place should be the next destination for anybody that is interested in investing in Nigeria.

“That is what this Lekki Free Trade Zone area is all about; that is why a whole lot of what we are doing in the Epe and Lekki axis in pieces more or less when they come to fruition will really show that Lagos is the next destination for investment in Africa,” he said.

According to the statement, Dangote had earlier said the combined projects under construction at the Lekki Free Trade Zone was the largest anywhere in the world.

Dangote said it was important for the right message about the axis to be communicated to the people to appreciate its impact on the economy.

“What is happening here is the largest project anywhere in the world today and this visit is just to show the governor the industrial jetty that we have built including the water breaker which is 900meters which is almost like about a mile.

“This is to show what we have done in terms of bringing in our cargo to build the refinery. We have done quite a lot in terms of water protection and also it is environmentally friendly and this is what we have shown the Governor.

“This is just showing that this place is going to really open for business and we are looking for a lot of infrastructure to be built and this place will be the next destination for any investment in Nigeria,” he said.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, said the jetty, when operational next month, would facilitate the shipment of equipment to rev up the projects within the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

“This is a jetty that is being done by Dangote and by the end of this month it will be ready for use. So, some of the vessel and equipment that cannot come through the land will be coming in through the jetty and that is why this jetty has been built.

“I can assure the people that once the jetty becomes functional, most of the items needed for the fertilizer plant, petrochemicals, refinery and others will be put in place and this is very contingent to what is happening here.

“As a government, whatever they need in terms of support in all ramifications will be done,” Oladunjoye said.

The governor also inspected the new Ojota Inter-state Bus Terminal under construction, ongoing road projects linking Lagos to Ogun State from Epe axis, among others in the Ibeju-Lekki zone.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) says it is collaborating with the Lagos State Government (LASG) to tackle the danger posed by un-authorized high-rise structures in the metropolis to flight operations.

The General Manager, Public Affairs, NCAA, Mr Sam Adurogboye, disclosed this to newsmen on Sunday in Lagos in a statement.

Adurogboye said that the collaboration became necessary in the face of the real and obvious threat the structures were posing to safe flight operations.

“This collaboration is a resolution from a bilateral meeting between the Director-General (D-G) of NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman and officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning & Urban Development and the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure.

“The first meeting was held on April 26 and another one on May 17 at the NCAA’s Aviation House Office in Lagos,’’ he said.

Adurogboye said that with this synergy, the two parastatal agencies of the state were expected to deploy their capacities to clear all obstructions and obstacles along flight paths within the state.

He said that their resources would be used to spot where other landing facilities like heliports, helipads, helidecks and airstrips were located in Lagos.

Adurogboye said that the NCAA had directed all intending developers of high-rise structures to always apply to the authority for Aviation Height Clearance (AHC) and permit.

He said that the directive was in line with its regulatory functions and meant for high-rise structures within the Aerodrome Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS).

The NCAA spokesman said it was also agreed that NCAA would provide the state agencies with a Flight Path Map to guide them in planning, development and granting of approvals for new structures in the state.