₦airaland Forum

It seems serious work is about to begin at the third roundabout.

Noticed this morning that diversions were created overnight for Epe bound traffic at the round about.

Looks like the roundabout is going to be re-configured like the first round about was. I hope it won't take as long though!

Asphalting of the strecth in front of Ikate Elegushi has also begun for the V/I bound extra lane.

I anticipate that the underground waste water channel at the second round about will also be completed by next week. I hope I am right about that.

Meanwhile work on the median from the second round about towards the third round about is also going on.
Noticed that work was going on there around 6.45 a.m. this morning. At that rate, it should be completed soon.
it

Sorry guys, I have just seen this news report. It's actually more detailed that the ones I posted yesterday:

‘The sea eats our beach’ .
Thursday, 08 July 2010 00:00 By Armsfree Ajanaku Onomo News - Metro 

.•Disaster looms as an abandoned wreck causes severe coastline erosion in Lekki Beach

For the past four months, Lekki Beach, once a destination of choice for Lagosians and tourists from outside the state, has all but been deserted, no thanks to an abandoned shipwreck, which has been impeding the natural flow of the waves and ocean current.Now, residents, tourists and petty traders want government to remove the wreck so that the beach can come alive again.

ROTTEN trunks of dead and fallen coconut trees, washed up by tidal waves lay at the edge of the shoreline, surrounded by all manner of flotsam.
Beyond the edge, an angry ocean roared, crests of waves rising and falling.

In the past, quite a considerable number of people, maybe in the several hundreds, would have been at that particular area of Lekki Beach.
But that weekend, the place was deserted and none of the fun-seekers who had in the past enjoyed relaxing at the beach with their family and friends were there.

The Lekki Beach has fallen on times as turbulent as the angry waves in the ocean that had damaged the beach and carved out ugly-looking craters along what used to be a beautiful and pristine shoreline.

Scattered about too, were the obviously- deserted holiday tents that were on the verge of collapsing into the water because the coastline was being rapidly washed away.  This unnerving scene, no doubt, cuts the   picture of a place under threat from what environmentalists say is one of the fastest, and most potentially devastating coastline erosion sites in the Lagos metropolis.

Unfortunately, that is Lekki Beach at present, where worried petty traders who make their living from the beach now backtrack as the ocean advances, eating up what should have been a natural buffer zone.

Also worried are owners of some of the choicest real estate in the country, whose property would be at the mercy of the merciless ocean should it be allowed to run free.

It was learnt that the problem was caused an abandoned shipwreck, which has been impeding the natural flow of the waves for the past four months.

Investigations by The Guardian further revealed that the owners of the vessel had tried to tow the wreckage out of the wreckage away from the shoreline, but failed.
They, thus, abandoned the wreck to rust and rot away in its watery grave while constituting an obstacle that has disrupted the natural ocean flow.

An environmental activist, Desmond Majekodunmi has compared the situation to a time bomb gradually ticking away.
“Here we are standing almost adjacent to the third roundabout at Lekki, and we have already detected that the very rapid erosion is going on for several kilometres down there, including Alpha Beach, and the front of the place where the new Chevron Twin Lake Estate is springing up,” Majekodunmi observed.

The big danger, he noted, “is that as we go further down the shore, there is only a small gap between the seashore and the mangrove swamps on the other side, and with this type of erosion, as fast as it is, within a year, it could easily break into that mangrove, and if that happens, it will give the ocean a free run right into the expressway.

He continued: “That means all the work government is doing on the Lekki-Epe Expressway now would be seriously jeopardized.

“All the ocean has to do to achieve that is for this erosion to continue, and then break into the mangrove swamps.

“We know the terrain in Lekki is 70 percent mangrove, and already, there has been a lot of irresponsible sand filling, and that is why you are having some serious flood in Lekki.

“But if the ocean breaks into this mangrove swamp, the effect would be catastrophic.
“It would be absolutely horrible. It would have severe negative impact on the buildings and on the road as well.
“This erosion is occurring in front of a newly developing urban zone where the land is prime property. Some of the most expensive real estate in the whole of Nigeria is being threatened because of this one shipwreck that should have been removed four months ago.”

The activist expressed disappointment that government was yet to act in response to the problem. “There is always this issue of who is responsible, whether it is the federal or the state, and this has really hampered progress in Lagos for years,” he said

Warning of the consequences of inaction or delayed intervention, the environmental expert said: “It is not as if they won’t be able to address it when it happens, but if they wait that long for it to happen, it could cost billions of naira to address it.

“But if we address it before it is late, it is going to be a lot cheaper and it is going to have a lot less negative impact.”

Describing the situation as an  “emergency, which required immediate action”, Majekodunmi called on government to intervene, no matter what it takes.
If nothing is done, Majekodunmi predicted that the erosion would “reach the mangrove buffer zone, opening up the whole of Lekki Peninsula to a very devastating blow
from the ocean.”

But so far it may appear the government has been unfazed by the terrifying consequences that would be precipitated if the ocean runs riot.

When The Guardian visited the area recently, no government agency, state or federal, has been to the site to assess the situation in order to take appropriate actions to stem what has been described a looming disaster.

Yet, as observed, the Lekki-Epe Expressway, which has gulped billions in government and private sector funds, via concessioning, is just some ten minutes walk from the spot where the ocean is gradually taking over.

When The Guardian called the Lagos State Ministry of Environment, an official directed the inquiry to the Ministry of Waterfront and Tourism Development.   

As for ship owners who usually abandon their vessels whenever they are shipwrecked, Majekodunmi called on government to invoke relevant regulations to bring them to book. He noted that owners of such ships should have insured them, so that “if the owners feel they don’t have the cash to solve the problem, they should tap into the insurance.

“ Unfortunately, the owners of such ships have been taking advantage of this so-called Nigerian factor, and are not allowing themselves to be taken to task and brought to book on those regulations.”

Source:http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16173:the-sea-eats-our-beach&catid=3:metro&Itemid=558

Saw the Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure and Tourism Development, Adesegun Oniru, on Silverbird television last night at the 60th birthday of Desmond Majekodunmi.

The birthday was commemorated with tree planting at the Silverbird TV station by Nollywood celebrities.

The commissioner was taken to task about the Lekki Beach erosion in front of the rolling cameras by Majekodunmi!

[size=14pt]He said that NIMASA ought to have done something about the shipwreck but gave his word that nevertheless, the state government would do something about it.

Mr. Commissioner, thank you for giving your word.

We hope your word will be your bond and that you would also do something about the illegal sand diggers along the waterfront.[/size]

Beyond the privatization of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

Waheed Kadiri

MORE facts are coming to light on the concession of the Lagos - Ibadan Expressway. We now know that the road is to be handled by, a tested hand - Bi-Courtney, who midwifed the Murtala Muhammed (MM2) terminal.

The privatization effort will give us an improved road with eight lanes from Lagos to Shagamu and six lanes from Shagamu to Ibadan. Parking facilities are also to be provided for the ubiquitous trailers and tankers. To enhance the safety of the road, users’ rest areas will be provided. Also to be provided are; emergency communication equipment, clinics and emergency ambulances. The highway will also be illuminated between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The road is of immense importance to the socio-economic life of the country in many ways, it links Lagos, the economic capital of the nation, to other parts of the country, finding its way through Ogun State, which had, because of that ‘endowment’, become known as the Gateway State. Apart from conveyance of goods, imported and agricultural, to and from other parts of the federation, the Sagamu - Lagos end has also become a corridor of homes to religious organizations, with their frequent and high participant attracting programmes.

The latest development on this corridor is the emergence of high land grabbing uses in the name of industries, petrol stations, private schools and private - organized and unorganized - housing estates under the guise of bringing investment to the axis. The implication of these investments is that all of them front directly unto the Expressway, to the extent that one wants to ask oneself whether that portion of the road qualifies to be an expressway, which is supposed to have limited regulated entry and/or exit points. The uses on the expressway have resulted in situations where people have to walk along and across the road. All these have implications for the improvement of the road.

Bi-Courteny is likely to face a challenge different from what they faced at the MM2 on this assignment. The international and local wings of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport were still there to provide services while MM2 was being constructed. That type of relief is not available for the Lagos - Ibadan road. While reconstruction, with all its limitations, is going on, the traffic cannot be frozen. It has been suggested that Lagos - Abeokuta road and Ikorodu - Shagamu Road should serve as alternative routes during the reconstruction. The Lagos - Abeokuta Road, with the way it is now, is not a viable alternative. Ask those who live in Ota. The Ikorodu - Shagamu Road is one road anyone would not want to be but for lack of choice, due to the need to get through or around Ikorodu town. Other hindrances to the use of this route include the presence of petrol tankers going to and from NNPC Mosinmi fuel depot. The narrowness and winding nature of the road coupled with poor pavement conditions are other hinderances.

Of significance is the fact that no mention had been made of the railway system as an alternative or complement to the expressway. This is in spite of the advantages the mode has over the road. Rail is more efficient, not only in energy consumption and therefore, cost per passenger or goods per kilometre, but also more environmental friendly and less accident-prone. Its greatest shortcoming, which has led to its near demise, is its inability to provide door to door service. This disadvantage is however overshadowed by safety factors in handling dangerous cargoes such as inflammable materials. Delivery time had also been one of the issues raised against the railways but this cannot hold anymore with the advent of high-speed trains. Attempts by the immediate past administration to resuscitate the railways gave some hopes. But as with all government policies in Nigeria, there has been a somersault.

The efficiency of a road goes beyond speed attainable on it. It includes the ease with which one can get in or out of it. The expressway, the way it is presently, does not afford much choice. Opportunity to get off the road either to its west or east is not available until one gets to Shagamu interchange. The result has been the forced route through Mowe, Ofada, Siun to Abeokuta or through Ogere to Ibadan. Because the routes were not designed for the forced load on them, the negative implications is so obvious in terms of lost time, wear and tear on vehicles and the resultant road rage among the drivers and passengers.

I am sure not many users will be bothered by the toll to be paid, as long as they have alternatives between the origin and destination of their journeys. This brings us to all those roads that were in existence before the express road. Mowe - Ofada - Owode - Iperu - Ode - Ishara - Ajebo - Ogunmakin - Ibadan road will afford a leisurely drive without being on the express road. Other viable but neglected road is Abeokuta - Odeda - Olugbo - Ogunmakin - Ibadan road. Construction of only one bridge is all that is needed to move from Agbara, in Lagos State to Atan, Ishaga Orile and Abeokuta in Ogun State to Igboora, Lanlate, Maya (a regional farm product market centre), Iseyin and Oyo in Oyo State. In other words, one can go from Badagry to Ogbomoso and Ilorin and further north without passing through the express road. The Ikorodu - Imota - Ijebu-Ode road is also viable.

The point being made here is that, while the concessioning exercise is commendable, some other roads must be made functional, in order to give room for good attention to be paid to the express road. By providing alternative routes to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the volume and type of traffic on the road could be reduced,rate and fatality of road accidents would surely be positively affected. It might also become possible to plan one’s journey time. Instead of psychological stress of covering 60 kilometres in 10 hours, I do not think anyone would mind an alternative of 75 kilometres in just over one hour.

In generating policies for the road, stakeholders should not be limited to law enforcement agents, transport unions and tanker drivers alone. The residents of settlements along the route should also be brought into the picture. The land and land use management agencies, along the corridor, should also start generating policies that would not jeopardize the efficiency of the road, when completed. The starting point should be taking an inventory of all developments along and within the right-of-way of the road, before speculators and other land grabbers come in to reap where they do not sow.

Of concern to the policy makers should be what happens to the traffic, once it gets to the Ibadan end of the road. The state of the stretch of the road linking the expressway from the old toll gate to Ife, Iwo and Oyo roads should be of equal concern. The link road had become a great source of problem and anxiety to those transiting from the expressway to Ife, Iwo, Ojo/Oyo. This section of the road, though dualised, has lost all the attributes of a road designed for high volume, fast moving traffic. The number of petrol filling stations, undesignated taxi and bus pick up points, the myriad of “U-turn” and the state of the pavements have made travelling on that stretch of road a great challenge to normal drivers.

There are definitely positive dividends to be earned from the privatization of the expressway, but if alternatives are provided, the expressway itself would be more optimally utilized. The good thing about the alternative routes identified in this discussion is that they are all in existence, all that needs be done is to bring their existence to the consciousness of the road users.

Other advantage of these alternatives is that they link up a string of settlements which enhances security. Increased usage of these routes may even reinvigorate some of the towns that are decaying, due to the siphoning of energy from them, by the construction of the expressway, almost three decades ago. We should also not forget that the federal government, in 2003, awarded the contract for the construction of Ijebu-Igbo - Ajegunle - Araromi (in Ogun State) - Ife - Sekona (in Osun State). This project, which could bring relief to Ijebu-Ode - Ibadan - Ife Road, in addition to the expressway, has not been completed. Our transport system must be multi-modal in nature so, that we do not get to be at the mercy of operators of a mode, as shown by the incessant threats and strikes by petrol tanker drivers. If petrol is moved by the railway, we would have been able to call the bluff of the drivers.

When our government is as politically committed to the improvement of the rail system, as it is to private sector participation in road development, our transport system and our socio-economic environment and indeed our political environment will be the better for it.

Source: http://www.compassnewspaper.com/NG/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17427%3Abeyond-the-privatization-of-the-lagos-ibadan-expressway&Itemid=7966

Flood takes over streets in Badagry
By Agency reporter
Thursday, 22 Jul 2010

Many streets and access roads in Badagry, Lagos State, have been flooded following torrential rains, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

NAN reports that heavy rainfall in the ancient town in the past week, left many homes and vehicles submerged while some major roads became impassable.

According to NAN, mostly affected is Samuel Ekundayo Road, a major access road to many areas within the historic town and an alternative route to the usually congested Lagos-Badagry highway with which it runs parallel for about three kilometres.

NAN observed that car owners in the affected areas now park their vehicles far away from home and join students and other residents to wade through the flood.

Residents told NAN that an abandoned road project had contributed immensely to the flooding as it was not the case in the past.

An employee of the Administrative Staff College, Topo-Badagry, Mr. Akeem Ayelotan, told NAN that living in Badagry had suddenly become a harrowing experience.

Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100722434678

johnie:
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency says it will need the intervention of the ecological fund to excavate an abandoned ship, MT Ray, causing the erosion.

The ship was abandoned on the Lagos seashore in February and since then about 70 metres of land had been lost to the sea.

But a NIMASA official who spoke with our correspondent on anonymity had said on Friday that it was beyond the agency‘s scope and ability to remove the ship.

He had said, ”(NIMASA) only has ability to remove wrecks and not to excavate an abandoned vessel. The issue now is that it has to tap into the ecological fund.”
He said, ”Ecological fund is not to be used for provision of social amenities or diverted to any other use than to address ecological disasters, or threats such as what we have now at Lekki Beach. This is an impending ecological and economic disaster on our coast.”

”I must say that this is a primary job for NIMASA and I do not really think that it cannot be of help if it wants to. Even if it requires the ecological fund to do certain tasks, then it should know better how to access it.”

Buck passing!!!

Nero's fiddling while Rome burns!

johnie:
Speaking with our correspondent on Wednesday, the President of Eti-Osa Heritage Group, Mr. Adewale Sanni said the communities affected were yet to meet on the issue. He added that the communities had been embroiled in the issue of toll gate fee which motorists were asked to pay by the Lekki Concessionaire Company, which manages the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

The road is also one of the major infrastructures threatened by the erosion, according to Majekodunmi.

Is this a case of having to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea?

Disaster looms as Lekki Beach erosion worsens 
By Samson Echenim and Emeka Ezekiel   
Thursday, 22 Jul 2010 


Erosion on Lekki Beach has continued relentlessly, threatening structures and multi-million naira Jakande Estate and Chevron‘s Twin Lakes Estate.

A renowned environmentalist and Executive Director of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Mr. Desmond Majekodunmi, said a serious ecological disaster was looming as the erosion had failed to attract government‘s attention.

Majekodunmi, who spoke with our correspondent on Wednesday, observed that the erosion was flushing off between 10 to 15 metres land per month.

He said an immediate remedy was required to arrest the situation and urged the Federal Government to channel a part of the ecological fund to this.

He said he was afraid that the Lagos State Government might not have understood the impending impact of the erosion as it had not shown any concern.

Speaking with our correspondent on Wednesday, the President of Eti-Osa Heritage Group, Mr. Adewale Sanni said the communities affected were yet to meet on the issue. He added that the communities had been embroiled in the issue of toll gate fee which motorists were asked to pay by the Lekki Concessionaire Company, which manages the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

The road is also one of the major infrastructures threatened by the erosion, according to Majekodunmi.

A civil engineer, Mr. Isaac Ademulegun said he believed NIMASA could do something meaningful as it was the agency charged with excavation of wreckages, adding that the ship was due for removal a long time ago.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency says it will need the intervention of the ecological fund to excavate an abandoned ship, MT Ray, causing the erosion.

The ship was abandoned on the Lagos seashore in February and since then about 70 metres of land had been lost to the sea.

But a NIMASA official who spoke with our correspondent on anonymity had said on Friday that it was beyond the agency‘s scope and ability to remove the ship.

He had said, ”(NIMASA) only has ability to remove wrecks and not to excavate an abandoned vessel. The issue now is that it has to tap into the ecological fund.”

He said, ”Ecological fund is not to be used for provision of social amenities or diverted to any other use than to address ecological disasters, or threats such as what we have now at Lekki Beach. This is an impending ecological and economic disaster on our coast.”

”I must say that this is a primary job for NIMASA and I do not really think that it cannot be of help if it wants to. Even if it requires the ecological fund to do certain tasks, then it should know better how to access it.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has said that it has concluded arrangements to develop a new national blueprint for disaster management across the country.
The acting Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Charles Agbo, disclosed this during a roundtable for the Consideration of the Draft National Disaster Management Framework in Abuja on Wednesday.

He explained that the trust of the new blueprint will be in critical areas such disaster risk reduction, preparedness and mitigation, among others.

He also noted that the new framework would act as a roadmap for addressing emerging challenges in disaster management within and outside the country.

He said ,” NEMA is set to develop a National Disaster Management Framework. The framework being developed will act as a legal instrument to address the need for consistency across multiple stakeholders by providing a coherent , transparent and inclusive policy for disaster management appropriate for the country.

”The existing blueprint on disaster is not all-inclusive and participatory. It was conceived by experts who sat for some months and came out with the document.

”We have established an in-house work group to put together a draft document. We will consider the inputs from different geo-political zones of the country so as to have a document that is user-friendly and help the country to address the myriads of disasters in a more holistic and proactive manner.

”Globally, disaster management is very dynamic. The document we had, which was the original disaster response plan, was conceived about 13 years ago. It was let loose to enable this type of arrangement whereby, from time to time, it will be amenable to review based on current realities. With the current realities and perspectives in disaster management, there is a need to review the existing disaster management framework.


”The document will be submitted to the Governing Council of NEMA , headed by the Vice President for consideration and transmission to the Federal Executive Council.”

Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201007222522457

johnie:
Government should stop the people packing sand, and take this ship away.

I have raised an alarm over the nefarious activities of these sand diggers earlier on this thread.

The impunity with with they cary out their activities is unbelievable.

They are in league with the law enforcement agencies and the supervising ministry is not doing enough though they claim to have prosecuted some of the diggers.

Erosion worries Lekki residents By Esther Alidu


July 14, 2010 12:17AM


Residents of Jakande Estate, Lekki, have raised an alarm over the spreading erosion on the beach, about 500 metres away from the sea, which they say threaten their lives.

The residents said the erosion was noticed five months ago, and that it might be caused by a stranded ship, the MT Ray, that has not been removed since a February storm washed some ships ashore. According to the residents, the presence of the wrecked ship has forced the strong tidal flow to eat deep into the receding seashore, while causing destruction to vegetation and economic development in the coast. “We have to let the government do something about this,” said Lateef Opeyemi, a resident of the area. “That is the way Bar Beach start(ed). Government should stop the people packing sand, and take this ship away.”

Implications of the wreck

During an inspection of the beach over the weekend by a team of reporters, environmental activist, Desmond Majekodunmi, who conducted the inspection, said the erosion had extended to other areas. “The long term implication of allowing the wreck to stay here could be horrendous. Economically, it could be very drastic and very negative against the livelihood of individuals here. This wreck can be removed.”

Mr. Majekodumni said the roots of the coconut trees lining the beach have served as resistance of sorts, even though 50-70 metre of sand has disappeared in five months at different areas of the coast. “Once this erosion cuts through the trees, which is about three to five months and hits the sand fill, there will be no resistance because the roots of the trees provide a solid resistance to the erosion. One can only speculate what will happen before it reaches the STV station and Jakande Estate,” he said.

Corroborating Mr. Majekodunmi’s view, Larry Awosika, a geologist with the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research, said “Coastal vegetation in the form of mangroves, coconut palms, various species of shrubs and grasses, play very important roles in the protection of the coastline from erosion.” He admitted that the institute had just been informed of the Lekki Beach situation, and promised that they would look into it.

Solving the problem

Mr. Awosika proffered solutions used to solve erosions, identifying beach nourishment as a soft measure, and sea wall bullheads, breakwaters, and groins as long term measures. “Nigeria has many existing national, state, and local government legislations and edicts that are designed to ensure the sustainable management of the coastal and marine area,” he said. “Several bodies have been established in response. In order to remove duplication and conflicts, states or other local legislation are meant to reinforce the national legislation,” he said. One of the most important policies, according to him, is the Environmental Impact Assessment Legislation Decree No. 86 of 10 December 1992. Similarly important, he added, is the Federal Environmental Protection Agency Decree No. 58, currently under the amendment of Decree 14 of 1999.

“Government should ensure that any coastal erosion measure is implemented under strict regulations that will ensure that environmental problem will not be transferred to other areas along the coast. A holistic erosion approach should be employed that will ensure integrated coastal area management,” he said.

Many living in the Jakaunde community are not aware of this erosion, but with the increase in saltwater intrusion into potable ground water and fresh water in rivers, deforestation and flooding, degradation of the environment through loss of land, vegetation, fauna and loss of biodiversity, the dangers of this erosion, especially on coastal settlers, cannot be underestimated.

An official of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), who gave his name as Philip, said the agency had directed him to survey the beach, and as such could not respond to questions. He said he would contact journalists at the site to schedule a press briefing with the appropriate officers of the agency authorized to speak with the press.


Source: http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5593143-146/story.csp

Work on the median from the second round about towards the third is progressing steadily. The job has reached the entrance of StillWaters Estate. (Sorry Ajanlekoko!).

Work on the underground waste water channel at the second round about (which is bottleneck) is also progressing steadily. Once this is completed, I expect that traffic will improve significantly between the first and the second round abouts.

The bumps introduced at the toll plaza which caused traffic jam on Tuesday and yesterday morning have been removed easing flow of traffic. Seems they were placed there just so they could install some fittings on the plaza.

I observed that a lot of work in going on at Amazon Energy junction (the new "oval-about". The engineers even worked overnight putting the pedestrian walk-ways in place. The place has really been tidied up and is set for landscaping.

LCC should consider doing more work at night to speed up the pace.

Meanwhile, the introduction of the traffic lights at the Oniru Estate entrance now causes some go-slow when heading onto the expressway from the Estate as the traffic light allows only a few cars onto expressway at a time just like the one at 1004/Adetokunbo Ademola St. junction.

uwemjack:
20 min drive to ajah from this property

Really?

Activated traffic lights at Oniru Estate junction just after the plaza when heading towards V/I

Pic 1: Before Mobil/Addax
Pic 2: After Mobil/Addax

Speed breakers (bumps/humps) were introduced to both sides of the approach to the toll plaza yesterday. This resulted in serious traffic on approaching the toll plaza.

[size=16pt]LCC, please open up more of those gates quickly to allow more vehicles pass through the gate at once else the traffic situation around the plaza will become more unbearable than it is now![/size]

johnie:
I forgot to mention that if you choose to turn off the expressway at Amazon Oil Junction into Phase 1 (Ocean Side) as I indicated above, you could come out at the pedestrian bridge under construction just before Addax/Mobil thereby avoiding the toll plaza totally. This is because alternative access routes exist within Oniru Estate and Phase 1 Estate (Ocean Side). You could also go directly into V/I coming out at Ajose Adeogun Street.

If the Addax/Mobil junction traffic is not properly managed by the traffic lights, I forsee this junction becoming a bottleneck both for eastward and westward bound traffic.

Early completion of the Lekki-Ikoyi Link bridge and the Falomo Bridge ramp would further decongest traffic heading towards the first toll plaza and the many traffic lights at the eastern end of of Ozumba Mbadiwe street (i.e. between Addax/Mobil and just before Oceanic Bank).

The traffic lights (see in pictures below which were taken earlier) just before the toll plaza when heading towards Epe (which I highlighted last week as a possible bottleneck) have been activated.

That junction (into/out of Oniru Estate) is a spot to watch as it is going to be very busy with traffic going in all directions.

Let's wait and see.

Hotel and Tourism industry in for strict regulation
By Segun Balogun

July 20, 2010 11:02AM
 

The Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Monday, assented to a law that will regulate Hotel and Tourism establishments in the state. The amendment to the Hotel Licensing Law 2003, promises to ensure strict compliance with global best practices in tourism industry and this implies tough times for the operators who have benefitted from the laxity of the government previously.

Tokunbo Afikuyomi, the state’s commissioner for tourism and intergovernmental relations. had complained about the loose regulatory framework guiding the tourism industry.

“During the FIFA U17 World Cup, we lost so much money. We could not connect to FIFA’s website because our hotels are not classified,” he said.

He also complained that tourism establishments like brothels, event centres, and relaxation centres are springing up across the state without any licence.

Mr. Afikuyomi was, therefore, delighted that the bill, which was recently and hastily passed by the state assembly, has now been signed into law.

Tough time for hoteliers

“No person is allowed to operate a hotel or any tourism establishment in Lagos State without first obtaining a licence from the tourism authority,” emphasised Abdul-lateef Abdul-Akeem, the special adviser to the governor on political and legislative bureau, while introducing the bill.

Mr. Abdul-Akeem said the penalties prescribed in the principal law allowed for “a high degree of disobedience in the (tourism) industry because the five penalties for the offences range from N100 to N200.”

The amended law stipulated penalties ranging from N100,000 to N500,000 with up to two years imprisonment. Mr. Fashola said the law is an economic policy that will open up the tourism industry in Lagos.

“Brazil is making money from the Atlantic, but we are not because laws like this exist there. We complain about unemployment, but we have not even opened up the economy of this state,” he said.

“It is already clear that the future holds more than oil for our country, because even the oil giants are investing their oil proceeds to develop other sectors of the economy and tourism is key,” he said.

He said Lagos is one of the states that has the capacity to diversify into tourism and “that is why a lot of taxpayers’ money is invested in providing an environment that can support the sector.” He added, “This is what has informed the massive roads projects like the Lagos-Badagary and Lekki-Epe expressways, which are strategic investments to boost tourism in the state.”
Mr. Afikuyomi said the amended law focuses on regulating the health and safety aspect of the sector which has been “highly undermined.” According to him, some existing tourism establishments may have to relocate as the law regulates the appropriate location of such establishments.

Source: http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5596184-146/story.csp#

Heading towards the expressway from the beach.

JB project site is on the right.

Proper drainage, street lights and walkways ought to be done.

I heard on the news this morning, Governor Fashola saying that one of the reasons the government went into the Lagos Badagry Expressway expansion and Lekki Expressway Concessioning was to boost tourism.

Commendable. The government however needs to do something about the access roads to the beaches and other tourist spots in the state.

Case in point: Alpha Beach.

Like I have reported on this thread, Julius Berger is carrying out some work on the Alpha Beach Road. As the attached pictures suggest, the work being carried out is skeletal. I expected a more thorough job, coming from JB.

But then, I don't think they were contracted to do this job. I think the are doing it mainly to provide access to their project site, American International School, which is along the road.

Pix 1: Entrance of the site along the expressway (at Chevron round about)
Pic 2-3: Approaching the beach from the expressway (Project site is on the left)

Long overdue.

Thanks Oga Lawyer!

You may want to follow this thread:

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-367311.288.html#msg6409843

Property owners on Lagos/Badagry road commend government for compensations .
Tuesday, 13 July 2010 00:00 Dayo Ayeyemi

“I want to thank the Lagos State Government for this gesture. We were not happy seeing our properties destroyed at the initial stage, but we thank God for this support because when the

government promised to pay us compensation, we doubted it but now the compensation has come. We thank the state government for this.”

Those were the words of Alhaji Usman Adisa, one of the affected property owners by the on going expansion and reconstruction of the Lagos-Badagry road into 10-lane expressway when receiving his compensation in cheque from the Lagos State Government in the office of the Permanent Secretary, Lagos’ Lands Bureau at the weekend.

Another building owner, Mr. Sanni Azeez, thanked the government for the gesture, saying he was grateful that the authority came to the aid of the affected building owners at last.

The 11 property owners in the second batch of whose their buildings/structures fall within the right of way of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in the first phase received their compensation amounting to N226, 514,680 in cheques and money transfer at the weekend in Lagos.

Presenting cheques to the beneficiaries, Permanent Secretary, Lagos’ Lands Bureau, Mr. Gbenga Ashafa, said the payment was a mark of commitment of the promise made by the state government on August 19, last year when he presented cheques to 18 organisations and individuals shortlisted for compensation under the first batch of the compensation scheme.

After that, he said the government also considered and approved the payment of compensation to the second batch of the 31 claimants within the Lot 1 of the project. Out of these 31 claimants, 12 of them, he stated were fully settled while the second set comprising 11 property owners were now being presented their cheques as full and final payment of their compensation.

Ashafa assured that the state government was committed to due process and therefore, was determined to pay those whose properties were affected in the bid for the people of Lagos State to take the benefit which the construction of the 10 lanes Lagos/Badagry Expressway would provide upon completion.

According to him, the government would continue to provide enough funds as part of the budgetary and project plans to ensure that property owners who were affected by the landmark infrastructural development for common benefits of both present and future generations are adequately compensated in line with the provisions of the law.

The permanent secretary pointed out that payment of compensations within Lot 1 was done in batches as claimants came forward with their title documents and building approvals.

His words: “It is pertinent to state here that the sum of 1,583,229,640.00 had since been approved as payment of compensation to claimants within the first and second batch on the Lot 1.”

The Lagos State government had last year announced plans to re-construct the four lanes Lagos/Badagry road into 10-lane Expressway to further open up the area for border traders in the West Africa sub-region and to lessen the transportation burden of residents along the axis.

Justifying the initiative, Ashafa stated that Lagosians who would have opted to live along the Lagos/Badagry road dreaded the area due to the persistent traffic gridlock occasioned by poor state of the road, insecurity and collapsed infrastructure.

“The large expanse of the land that could have been available to investors do not hold much attraction for such would be investors until now,” he said pointing out that the recent award of the contract for the expansion of the road to 10 lanes and the setting aside of N2 billion to compensate property owners whose properties fell within the right of way the project “is already undoubtedly an impetus to investors with foresight.”

Ashafa enjoined others who have genuine claims to come forward to the bureau to submit their titles and claims for the processing of their compensation.

Source: http://www.compassnewspaper.com/NG/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63161:property-owners-on-lagosbadagry-road-commend-government-for-compensations-&catid=72:property&Itemid=710

SPAR opens in Nigeria, sets up rivalry with Shoprite
Monday, 12 July 2010 01:24 By our reporters

SPAR, the world’s largest food retailer with approximately 20,000 stores in 35 countries, is opening its first flagship store in Lagos in August to set up a fierce competition with retail leader, Shoprite, which first opened in Nigeria more than five years ago.
BusinessDay learnt that the planned flagship store is will be located in the Lekki-Ajah axis of Nigeria’s commercial capital and is being built under a collaboration with Park n Shop and founded in Nigeria in 1988. Park n Shop is owned by the Artee Group and has become a household name in modern shopping in the country.

Following the opening in Lagos, other SPAR stores will open in Otta, Abuja and Port Harcourt. The Lagos store is already attracting the attention of large manufacturers some of which are voting funds to promote the flagship store and by so doing also hope to expand their market share. The arrival of SPAR, Dutch based giant which was founded in 1932 with global revenues in excess of 27 billion euros, will mark a broadening of the retail industry in Nigeria and further advance the professionalisation of what many in Nigeria erroneously see as merely buying and selling. Analysts and shoppers told BusinessDay weekend the coming of SPAR to Nigeria is a good development for consumers.
“Nigerian consumers will now do strategic buying and not just buying for the sake of it; Nigerians will have more options to make choices from. More so, there will be healthy competition, not only in Lagos, but in Otta, Port-Harcourt and other places. It is good for the consumer”, Bismarck Rewane, a leading economist told BusinessDay.

“The presence of SPAR in Nigeria is good for consumer retail line of business which Shoprite has dominated for so long,” observed Tony Adetoba, a consumer. “It will create a healthy competition between the two brands and will offer consumers choices”, Adetona added. The retail market is projected to grow with additional 200 million customers entering the consumer goods market this year, according to a report by Mckinsey on Africa. The report also predicted a quick recovery in the consumer goods and retail sector. This may have buoyed Shoprite’s expansion plan which is scheduled to open more outlets this year. SPAR is one of the best retail chain outfits in South Africa. Their goods are very cheap like Clicks, another brand in South Africa. Their presence means good business and competition for that segment of the market,” Abiola Ogundimu, an economist, said.

SPAR was originally known as DE SPAR, the Dutch phrase for door and some of its flagship stores are still called Eurospar and Interspar in some countries. Most SPAR stores are to be found in Europe but they are now in countries like South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Zambia, Australia, Mauritius, China, India, Japan and soon Nigeria. Under the take-off plan, a SPAR store may be owned independently by a franchisee or be part of a chain, depending on the model applied in any given country.

BusinessDay has learnt that in the first five years, all SPAR stores will be owned by the company but in the second five years of its existence in Nigeria, it will allow and encourage its staff to branch out to become franchisees and subsequently other interested entrepreneurs will be admitted into the elite club of store owners.

One major transformation in the local market is the shifting position in the attitude of manufacturers who are now increasingly willing to sell directly to large retailers, marking a break from the past when they sold only to their accredited dealers and agents. For dealers in Nigeria, they would now have to reshape their business model to align with the changing business landscape. Despite the onset of the global economic meltdown, SPAR’s business has continued to do well around the world with retail sales area in China alone doubling to 300,000 square metres and the addition of about 100 hpermarkets and supermarkets.

Last year, SPAR’s international managing director, Gordon Campbell, spoke of the allure of Nigeria and hinted at his firm’s entry into the country. According to him, “Nigeria is a large developing market on the west coast of Africa with a population in excess of 150 million. We believe that it offers enormous potential for SPAR.”

Source: http://www.businessdayonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12623:spar-opens-in-nigeria-sets-up-rivalry-with-shoprite&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=18

^^^^
Ouch! Ouch!! Ouch!!!

Hopefully they would widen the section of the road between second round about and the third enough to allow for free movement of traffic shortly.

The work on the second round about is being delayed by a huge underground canal being constructed to collect and drain water around there.

There are a number of spots along the road where similar canals are being constructed. These are the places delaying the work in my estimation. I expect the traffic situation up to the third round about to improve significantly in the next one month.

Another pedestrian bridge is being constructed just after third round about.

The traffic situation after the Chevron round about in the evening is however still horrendous especially when it rains! Something needs to be done about that.

Thanks Mariory!

liftedone:
Is it that finding a house on the mainland is extremely difficult? Does this somehow explain the exodus of people to the Lekki-Ajah axis and the increased vehicular and human traffic?

You have an interesting hypothesis there.

I wish we could get more contributions.

I know he has a young daughter.

I saw her in a photograph of his visit to the Vatican in July 2008.

Having said that, I think we ought to respect the privacy of our public figures.

@liftedone

Those stickers have been around for a while. They appeared around April 2010 when it was rumoured that tolling would begin on May 1.

I heared on the news this morning (Rhythm 93.7 FM) that there was a protest at Ajah yesterday.

That attendance list looks more like a list of middle belt leaders. Most "core north" leaders are not there.

Can we say these people are speaking for the north?

[quote author=phuck_NL link=topic=367311.msg6391720#msg6391720 date=1279213306]Even if there are alternative routes round the lekki toll, what about the chevron toll gate?[/quote]My thinking is that the Alpha beach road would be reconstructed as an alternative route to avoid the Chevron Toll Plaza. See my post of July 09, 2010.

johnie:
If you look at the pictures I posted on July 5, you would notice that one of the vehicles has an inscription of the Lagos State government (improvement and rehabilitation of system channel) on it.

It is possible to link that road from Alpha Beach Road by passing in front of Ocean Bay Estate or from Lafiaji.

See pictures of the road below

Going through Alpha Beach, one should be able to come out after the Chevron plaza by linking the expressway through the new road being constructed to burst out at Oluwanisola Estate. This road links Ocean Bay, Buena Vista, Lafiaji and Okun Ajah to the expressway but is still under construction.

However, I am yet to see enough commitment to the construction of the Alpha Beach road.

Questions that keep popping up in my mind whenever I hear or think about the Atlantic City include these:

What is the environmental impact of the project on other settlements further down the Altantic coastline of the peninsular?

What is the government/promoter's plans to secure these settlements against the pushing back of the Ocean?

Phase 2 of the Lekki-Epe Expressway project which is the construction of the coastal road is hinged on the erection of barricades against the ocean.
No one is talking about this now!

^^^^

The toll is dual.

If you are leaving Lekki Phase 1 and going to V/I via Mobil, then you have to pay as you go through the toll plaza (pic 1).

If you decide to take the same route back to Phase1, you would pay as you go through again (Pic 2).

The other alternative is as you come out of Lekki phase 1, drive round the first round about (pic 3) into Oniru Estate and come out just before Mobil (Pic 4) . Obviously, that's a longer route.

But the choice is yours - pay and go through tolls plazas or go through the alternative access routes.

Some of the fears I have about the alternative routes (where they currently exist) are:

1. Who will maintain them?
2. How often will they they be maintained?

A good example is the Alpha Beach Road which links the beach to the expressway. This is a road that ought to be given priority attention in view of the tourism potential of the beach. The situation of that road about two weeks ago was pathetic! Julius Berger is currently "levelling" the road as I am not sure thay intend to do a serious job on it. I think their main interest is that the road borders their project site- American International School- and vehicles get stuck in the giant potholes on the road when it rains heavily thereby affecting their big trucks. So what happens to the road when JB is through with their project?

Like I have often said on this thread, there are no real alternative access routes after the second round about.

You can't get to Jakande/Ilasan/third roundabout from Ikate Elegushi/Second Round About without going through the expressway. The other alternative, if you can call   it one, is to go through Nike Art Gallery to the ocean waterfront and drive along the waterfront to Maiyegun/Lekki beach and come out at the express way.

You cant't get to Chevron/fourth round about from the third round about without going through the expressway unless you drive along the water front from Maiyegun/Lekki Beach to Alpha Beach and then come out at the expressway.

From Alpha beach to Abraham Adesanya Estate, there is an access route that passes in front of Ocean Bay Estate to Lafiaji town through Okun Ajah and then back to the expressway.

All these "alternative access routes" are not for the faint-hearted or your everyday car. You need a 4x4 with an overdrive up to Alpha Beach!

I forgot to mention that if you choose to turn off the expressway at Amazon Oil Junction into Phase 1 (Ocean Side) as I indicated above, you could come out at the pedestrian bridge under construction just before Addax/Mobil thereby avoiding the toll plaza totally. This is because alternative access routes exist within Oniru Estate and Phase 1 Estate (Ocean Side). You could also go directly into V/I coming out at Ajose Adeogun Street.

If the Addax/Mobil junction traffic is not properly managed by the traffic lights, I forsee this junction becoming a bottleneck both for eastward and westward bound traffic.

Early completion of the Lekki-Ikoyi Link bridge and the Falomo Bridge ramp would further decongest traffic heading towards the first toll plaza and the many traffic lights at the eastern end of of Ozumba Mbadiwe street (i.e. between Addax/Mobil and just before Oceanic Bank).