· Stakeholders seek inclusion, infrastructure upgrade
From Anthony Nwachukwu, Lagos
Ahead of the concession of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex (LITFC), a Federal Government committee is currently working with the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and other relevant stakeholders to resolve areas of conflict, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Niyi Adebayo, has said.
Adebayo, who paid a fact-finding visit to the complex over the weekend, listed the recovery of its land already being encroached on as part of things to be resolved.
He described the facility as an indicator of Nigeria’s potential as a great trading nation, “especially given our huge endowment of men and women imbued with the spirit of enterprise and creativity.”
“I am especially happy today as it is my first official opportunity to visit at the invitation of the new Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, Sir Charles Onyeka Okoye,” he said.
“With his track record, he is someone I believe will do well in this position by stepping up to the challenges of the time. I ask that he and the rest of the leadership focus their efforts on shaping the future of the complex.”
Adebayo acknowledged that “over the years, the infrastructure within the complex has declined. Some of the older people here may remember how breath-taking this complex was when it was first built in the 1970s.
“I assure you of the ministry’s full commitment to ensuring that it is not just fully revitalised but also developed into a world class trading centre. This goes beyond just the facilities.”
He added: “This is a challenging time worldwide and things are not easy for the common man. The ministry is determined to ensure that the thousands of traders here have what is needed to make goods available to their customers at a fair price.
“We are also aware that over time, the Trade Fair land has been encroached upon. We are working hard to enumerate everything lost before it is fully reclaimed.
“Traders are the backbone of our society; we cannot survive as a nation without your contribution to the economy and the goods that you provide.
“Our ministry will ensure that your rights are fully protected. I am pleased that the complex is becoming more unified, and the spirit of friendship and collaboration is growing. Working harmoniously is essential for both your individual and collective success and I implore you to keep it up.”
Earlier, the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the LITF Complex Management Board, Charles Okoye, expressed the team’s determination to improve the facility and boost revenue generation and remittance to the Federal Government.
Meanwhile, the stakeholders and heads of the different segments of the complex have listed as top requirements from the Federal Government the need to fix the over five kilometre road within the facility, which collapse was impeding the seamless trucking of goods into, and exit from the premises.
Others included alternative access roads to address the worsening gridlock in and out of the premises, especially at closing time, following the huge and growing population of traders and clients.
They informed the minister that they have already completed one on their own, awaiting its commissioning. Alongside, drainage is required to address the flooding in the complex, which is becoming a huge challenge.
Also requested is an expansion of the facility land to accommodate the growing influx of businesses, just as they urged the government to resolve the issues bordering on the extant lease agreement of 1994 to ensure a win-win for all.
Equally, they urged the Federal Government to unbound the expected lease arrangement to avoid infrastructure decay, stating that a single concessionaire will be unable to fix the infrastructure.
