Mixed-use development underway in Lagos’ Okobaba sawmill site

THE urban renewal drive by the Lagos authorities may receive a boost soon, if the promise made by the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is anything to go by.

The development of the area, which has been dragging for years may eventually come into fruition as Lagos is putting finishing touches on the relocation exercise from Okobaba Sawmill to Agbowa Township, in the Old Epe local government. The move may pave way for the transformation of the Ebute Metta site into a mixed-use development scheme, comprising residential estate and recreational facility.

Last week, officials from the Ministry for Physical Planning and Urban Development, visited Agbowa, the new location on assessment tour, to determine the level of work done. At the end of the tour, it was declared that work has reached 86 per cent completion stage.
Although, Governor Ambode, had late December, asked the saw mill operators in Okobaba to move to Agbowa, a directive the traders’ representatives described as ‘unrealistic’, in the sense that there are few things to put in place before such directive would be carried out.

The Guardian confirmed that few amenities are yet to be put in place. These include water supply, link road from Agbowa to the site and inner roads within the site.

“Besides, electricity is yet to connect to the national grid. Also, our machinery are not equipment we can just pack in a jiffy and put them inside vehicles. We need time to dismantle them, while few can be transported by road, some heavy ones may need to be transported through water and this where government must come to our aids”, said one of the market leaders, Alhaji Ganiyu Onikeku.

According to Onikeku, if all those amenities are in place, they would be moving into the site before June.

However, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and urban Development, Mr. Wasiu Anifowoshe assured that all remaining amenities would be in place any moment from now. He pledged to complete the facility by February.
However, investigation by The Guardian revealed that Okobaba site is going to be mixed use development,, consisting of a housing estate and tourism-related industry.

Currently, site clearing is ongoing, as artisans and traders that hitherto occupied space under the tail end of Third Mainland Bridge, have been given a 7-day ultimatum to leave.

It was gathered that the first phase of redevelopment is to establish a recreation park on the stretch of land overlooking the lagoon, adjacent to the Adekunle axis of the Third Mainland Bridge, where artisans and illegal occupants are to vacate.
 
It was also gathered that Ambode, in his last visit, expressed dissatisfaction with the refusal of artisans operating under the bridge to vacate the site despite repeated notice. They were given a seven-day ultimatum to vacate the site and remove all abandoned vehicles for the project to begin.
  
On the tourism aspect, the government is seeking partnership with private sector to drive the project. While on the housing estate, the major constraint is the cost of the project.