Lack of infrastructure threatens LFTZ mega Lekki port project

By Godwin Oritse

THE Lagos Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) project may suffer a major setback if urgent steps are not taken to address the infrastructural needs of the mega  project.

The promoters of the project led by LFTZ’s Group Managing Director, Me Haresh Aswani said that the non-expansion of roads and provision of rail networks will certainly stall the project.

Haresh also disclosed that the government has been very supportive of the project and has gone a step further to set up a committee headed by the Permanent Secretary in the Transport Ministry.

He said that the $8billion (N1.2trillion)  investment could be delayed as a result of the non-provision of these very vital amenities .

He also stated that the LFTZ is currently discussing with the Federal Government over the issue of roads, rail network and gas supply.

The LFTZ boss disclosed that the Federal Government is to build the Lekki Port break waters as part of its support to the project.

“The minister has visited the site to determine the kind of infrastructure needed to ensure that project is not delayed.

“The Lagos State Government is also talking to us with regards to their mega-city plan, the roads need to be expanded, the issue of gas supply is moving very fast.

“We hope to commence construction before the end of the first quarter of 2010 and hopefully complete the Lekki port project by 2013″.

Besides these, Harsh explained that Lekki was chosen as the location site because it is the deepest area in the nation’s entire coastline, adding that the port will have six berths when completed.

“Very soon, the Lagos ports will no longer be able to accommodate the volume of cargoes that will come in, so there is a need for another  port and an ocean port will be of more economic value to Nigeria.

“We embarked on the project five years ago, Nigeria is a good place to invest and the objective of this project is to create a world class FTZ, create thousands of jobs, industrial and logistics parks.

The Lekki Port when completed will be the deepest in Africa with depth of 19m and provide jobs to about 20,000.
On LFTZ’s relationship with the community, Director of Finance, Mr Kundan Sainani said “we have an excellent relationship with the community, we have built churches, renovated schools and have done quite a good number of community work.”.

Herash explained that the LFTZ will be divided  into southern and northern parts with the former being occupied by the port area and liquid terminal and a cluster of industrial, logistics and warehouse zones.

While the later will be reserved for an oil refinery, petrochemical hub, food industry, the corporate center and amenities.

“The Lekki prot of the LFTZ will cover an area of 500 hectares when fully comp developed as it will also have the capability of handling all types of cargo including containers, liquid bulk and dry bulk.

“The size and scale of Lekki port when combined with the state of the art cargo handling and storage infrastructure will make it an ideal trasn-shipment hub capable of servicing the entire West Africa coast.