Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State says work will commence in the next two months on the proposed Deep Sea Port in Badagry, simultaneously with the 10-lane Lagos-Badagry Expressway project.
Ambode disclosed this on Thursday while on an inspection tour of the Lagos-Badagry expressway, Mile-2 light rail and Badagry deep sea port projects.
He said that the proposed deep sea port was an investment, which meant a lot to the state in terms of job creation and development of new settlements and towns.
Ambode said that the Badagry Deep Sea Port, which would occupy a land mass of over 1000 hectares, would be the biggest in Africa.
According to him, it will have a free trade zone and also a container terminal.
“This deep sea port means a lot for us in terms of employment; it means a lot for us also in terms of new settlement like it has been said.
“We hope that in the next two months we’re coming to start this project here,” he said.
Ambode said that the project, which was 500 metres away from the Point of No Return, would also serve as a tourist attraction.
“For us, we have decided to protect that particular place to make sure that tourism is also complemented in this project.
“With a Deep Sea Port project like this, it means that there will be new settlements in Badagry, new towns and the standard of living will be positively affected by this kind of project.
“I just want to assure you that simultaneously, those two projects will start in earnest and then we will use that to create jobs for our people and also increase the GDP of the state’s economy.
“I assure you strongly that within the next four years, you will see a dramatic change in this axis of Lagos,” he said.
Ambode assured the aggrieved people of Aivoji and other communities where the deep sea port project is situated that government would protect their interest and ensure they were adequately compensated.
Earlier, while briefing Ambode on the progress of work at the site of the deep sea port, Project Resettlement Superintendent, Mr Justin Okwufu, explained that enumeration of assets of communities to be resettled had been concluded.
He said that about 350 hectares had been earmarked for them.
Okwufu, however, said that the Aivoji people, who were one of the 12 communities to be relocated, had expressed unwillingness to be relocated and had already gone to court over the matter. (NAN)
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