Alade market: Relocation irreversible –Lagos govt

By Moshood Adebayo

LAGOS State Govern­ment yesterday said the relocation of the popular Alade Market, Ikeja to a new site is irreversible.

Commissioner for Local Government and Commu­nity Affairs, Muslim Folami said this when he met with stakeholders of the market at the Government Secre­tariat, Alausa, yesterday.

This is even as the con­cessionnaire, Mr. Lai Omo­tola said there was no order from any court stopping them from relocating to a new site.

Omotola, who is the managing director of Mas­ter Reality Limited, said due diligence was followed in the relocation of the market to its new place.

“We did our due dili­gence before we started the construction of this new market. The new Alade Market is well-built with modern facilities, adequate security and spacious park to enhance the megacity status of Lagos.”

According to him, the construction of the new market was one of the con­ditions given for the out­right relocation of the old Alade Market.

“This is a N6.9 billion partnership project. We gave the shop owners six years notice despite the fact that the local govern­ment has been on the issue of relocating the market for over 20 years.

“In this facility, we have 504 shops; meanwhile, the mandate is to build 300 shops but we extended it. People came to say they wanted en-suite shops; we did it for them. We have 350kva generator and an­other 150kva. We built 20 toilets and 200 key-clamps.”

He expressed delight that majority of traders in the old market had relo­cated and assured them of adequate security.

Omotola said if Nige­ria must move forward, it is largely dependent on private sector, which is through Public Private Sec­tor Participation.