By The Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said the planned relocation of saw millers of Oko Baba in Ebute Metta, Lagos Mainland, to a proposed permanent site in Agbowa, will be concluded by December.
Sanwo-Olu spoke on on Tuesday during an inspection tour of Agbowa-Ikosi Timberville in Ikosi-Ejirin Local Council Development Area (LCDA).
The governor, joined by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako, also inspected a 1,500 tons per hour brickette plant built on the site by Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), which will enable the conversion of mill’s byproduct to combustible brick materials for industrial use.
According to Sanwo-Olu, the State Government revised the approved design of the project to bring more amenities to the Timberville for the comfort of the timber traders.
He disclosed that 160 units of two-bedroom flats had been completed for the accommodation of the inhabitants, while blocks of offices for administrative services had been out in place.
“The leaders of Oko Baba saw millers’ association are excited and are willing to relocate to the site. The ship piles where ships will be berthing have been done. What is left is to clear the trailer path for the saw millers, and put up a police post and a fire service. In this regard, we are making additional funding available to the contractor to ensure that before the end of this year, we all should sing Hallelujah and bring everybody down here. It’s been a very long journey, but our administration is committed to bringing the long wait to an end,” he said.
Also speaking, Abdul-Ganiu Onikeku, president of Lagos Mainland Sawmillers Association, noted that the Timberville could have been completed but for the disagreement over the design of the project, which led to it being abandoned.
