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Saturday, December 20, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
SAS Radisson Hotel | Lagos | Under Construction | 4F (Lagoon Side)
Name: SAS Radisson Hotel
City, Country: Lagos, Nigeria
Floors: 4F
Use: leisure
Additional Information
Opening Date: Q3/Q4 2008
Location: Nestled in the waterfront area of the Victoria Island, the Radisson SAS Hotel in Lagos is close to the Mega Plaza shopping mall, the commercial district, all the consulates and the banking district.
Designed by famous Swedish hospitality designer, Christian Lundwall, the Radisson SAS Hotel in Lagos is nestled in the waterfront area of Victoria Island, the business hub of the city. The hotel lounge is one of the focal points of the hotel, featuring comfortable sofas and fountains. The atrium opens up to the fourth storey of the hotel while the illuminated lifts rise up from the lobby.
* Located on Victoria Island in the midst of the business district and banking area.
* All 170 air-conditioned rooms in two original room styles, urban and ocean.
* The buffet style restaurant serves an eclectic, international cuisine as it overlooks the lagoon.
* There is also a barbecue area outside by the seafront, which is perfect for outdoor events and functions.
* Guests have free access to the hotel fitness area with its cardiovascular gym, swimming pool and sauna.
* The hotel has two classy boardrooms and four spacious meeting rooms.
‘Lagos intra-city rail service to commence in 2009’
By Mudiaga Affe
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, (SAN) on Tuesday night said that the state model intra-city rail service would commence in 2009 with the construction of the rail lines.
He spoke at the second Lagos State Taxation stakeholders’ conference at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
According to him, the government has just completed the designs of the rail service which would be followed by the actual construction.
The governor said that the state had also started the construction of jetties across the state, saying that more would be constructed next year.
Fashola described the transportation sector as the most critical, saying it usually determined at what rate food would reach the table of the average man as well as how life could be made worth living.
Reiterating his position on the voluntary payment of taxes, he added that since the last stakeholders’ conference, the state had gone a step ahead by ensuring that there was an improvement in its tax administration system with the resultant improved performance.
He said, “Dear compatriots, this year’s taxation conference is holding at an opportune time.
“With the dwindling oil prices and oil prices falling freely; with the global economic down-turn and the feverish search for alternative energy sources, there is no better time for us to take our destiny in our hands.”
He said it was gratifying to note that at the time when oil prices had dropped to as low as $50 per barrel, the state had stated its intention through the budget for Year 2009 to weather the storm through a very realistic price projection which took adequate care of increases in the prices of services.
He said that irrespective of the level to which the prices dropped, Lagos would continue to excel.
He said, “We have demonstrated that Lagos can be clean.”
We have shown what it takes to clean it. It is not a rocket science. It has been done all over the world. We need people to continuously work to clean it. We need equipment to enable them do it.
We need money to fund the equipment and their wages.”
He lamented that while a country like United Arab Emirates is beating its chest that it has no cause to worry till the next 30 years because it has successfully invested the proceeds of the jumbo oil prices wisely, no one can say categorically what Nigeria has done with her proceeds.
The Governor promised to consider some of the recommendations of the stakeholders’ summit such as the putting in place of a body of appeal commissioners as well as the resort to statutory rights of restraints as only a last resort.
He added that while the performance of the state government speaks for itself in terms of provision of social services, the state is also planning to construct a cardiac and renal centre in Gbagada to put a stop to people seeking medical attention for renal problems overseas.
Also speaking, a former governor of the state, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, described Fashola as “our own Obama”.
He said any adult who refuses to pay his taxes is not fit to be described as a human being and does not deserve to enjoy the services of the state.
punchng.com
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, (SAN) on Tuesday night said that the state model intra-city rail service would commence in 2009 with the construction of the rail lines.
He spoke at the second Lagos State Taxation stakeholders’ conference at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
According to him, the government has just completed the designs of the rail service which would be followed by the actual construction.
The governor said that the state had also started the construction of jetties across the state, saying that more would be constructed next year.
Fashola described the transportation sector as the most critical, saying it usually determined at what rate food would reach the table of the average man as well as how life could be made worth living.
Reiterating his position on the voluntary payment of taxes, he added that since the last stakeholders’ conference, the state had gone a step ahead by ensuring that there was an improvement in its tax administration system with the resultant improved performance.
He said, “Dear compatriots, this year’s taxation conference is holding at an opportune time.
“With the dwindling oil prices and oil prices falling freely; with the global economic down-turn and the feverish search for alternative energy sources, there is no better time for us to take our destiny in our hands.”
He said it was gratifying to note that at the time when oil prices had dropped to as low as $50 per barrel, the state had stated its intention through the budget for Year 2009 to weather the storm through a very realistic price projection which took adequate care of increases in the prices of services.
He said that irrespective of the level to which the prices dropped, Lagos would continue to excel.
He said, “We have demonstrated that Lagos can be clean.”
We have shown what it takes to clean it. It is not a rocket science. It has been done all over the world. We need people to continuously work to clean it. We need equipment to enable them do it.
We need money to fund the equipment and their wages.”
He lamented that while a country like United Arab Emirates is beating its chest that it has no cause to worry till the next 30 years because it has successfully invested the proceeds of the jumbo oil prices wisely, no one can say categorically what Nigeria has done with her proceeds.
The Governor promised to consider some of the recommendations of the stakeholders’ summit such as the putting in place of a body of appeal commissioners as well as the resort to statutory rights of restraints as only a last resort.
He added that while the performance of the state government speaks for itself in terms of provision of social services, the state is also planning to construct a cardiac and renal centre in Gbagada to put a stop to people seeking medical attention for renal problems overseas.
Also speaking, a former governor of the state, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, described Fashola as “our own Obama”.
He said any adult who refuses to pay his taxes is not fit to be described as a human being and does not deserve to enjoy the services of the state.
punchng.com
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Fashola Commissions Bar Beach Restoration Phase II
Lagos state governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, this morning, commissioned the second phase of the restoration of the Lagos Bar beach.
Speaking at the event, Fashola said the second phase included extending the beach shoreline by 500 metres. The first phase of the protection work, which was commissioned in April 2007, was 1,000 metres. The work extended along the beach front, commencing just beyond the IMB building in a western direction and terminating at the Akwa Ibom state liaison office complex.
The governor said other areas that were not protected during the first phase of the project were eroded when a violent storm hit Victoria Island, two years ago.
“It was at this point that we came to the realisation that there was need to extend the system by 500 metres, from where it was stopped; that is, a few metres after Ademola Adetokunbo Street junction.
“Furthermore, the turning of the sod of the Eko Atlantic City project in April 2008, was a classical example of the government policy thrust of fast-tracking infrastructure development of the state through public-private partnership participation”.
Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Prince Adesegun Oniru, who was also at the event, said the extension of the beach by 500 metres would lead to the commencement of work on the Eko Atlantic City.
The project is the first phase of the series of innovations that would permanently arrest the ocean surge. It would also bring back the glory of the Lagos Bar beach as a tourist haven. Ultimately the shoreline would be pushed back to a distance of about 1.5km away from the present location and at the end of the day, culminate in the Eko Atlantic City, a city almost one and a half times the size of the present Victoria Island.
Speaking at the event, Fashola said the second phase included extending the beach shoreline by 500 metres. The first phase of the protection work, which was commissioned in April 2007, was 1,000 metres. The work extended along the beach front, commencing just beyond the IMB building in a western direction and terminating at the Akwa Ibom state liaison office complex.
The governor said other areas that were not protected during the first phase of the project were eroded when a violent storm hit Victoria Island, two years ago.
“It was at this point that we came to the realisation that there was need to extend the system by 500 metres, from where it was stopped; that is, a few metres after Ademola Adetokunbo Street junction.
“Furthermore, the turning of the sod of the Eko Atlantic City project in April 2008, was a classical example of the government policy thrust of fast-tracking infrastructure development of the state through public-private partnership participation”.
Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Prince Adesegun Oniru, who was also at the event, said the extension of the beach by 500 metres would lead to the commencement of work on the Eko Atlantic City.
The project is the first phase of the series of innovations that would permanently arrest the ocean surge. It would also bring back the glory of the Lagos Bar beach as a tourist haven. Ultimately the shoreline would be pushed back to a distance of about 1.5km away from the present location and at the end of the day, culminate in the Eko Atlantic City, a city almost one and a half times the size of the present Victoria Island.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
LAGOS URBAN RAIL MASS TRANSIT (LRMT) SCHEME FROM IDDO TO IJOKO
The Light Rail Mass Transit scheme is a proposal to introduce a Light Rail Transit System within the existing Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) corridor from Iddo in Lagos State to Ijoko in Ogun State. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between LAMATA and NRC was signed in 2006, to grant access to the 100 ft of NRC right-of-way required for the construction of the LRMT line.
The scheme is approximately 35-kilometre in length with an estimated ridership of a minimum of 500,000 passengers per day. The following fourteen (14) station locations are proposed:
* Ijoko
* Mushin
* Agbado
* Jibowu
* Iju
* Yaba
* Agege
* Ebute Metta
* Ikeja
* Iddo
* Shogunle
* National Theatre
* Oshodi
* Apapa
On May 15, 2007, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, officially performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the LRMT scheme.
Financing
The Lagos Mega City Development Authority is undertaking the LRMT scheme from Iddo to Ijoko as a priority project for implementation within the mega-city. The LRMT scheme is being financed by the Federal Government (45%), Lagos State Government (40%), and Ogun State Government (15%)
MILE 2 TO OJO/OKOKOMAIKO LAGOS URBAN RAIL NETWORK (LURN) “BLUE” SCHEME
The Mile 2 to Ojo/Okokomaiko scheme is a conceptualised innovative rail transit system for the Badagry Expressway in Lagos State. This scheme is planned for implementation in two stages. Stage 1 of this scheme, is a 16-kilometre east to west rail line between Ojo and Mile 2 with the following six (6) proposed train stations
* Ojo
* Okokomaiko
* LASU
* Trade Fair
* Festac
* Mile 2
A future extension of an additional 21-kilometre and four train stations terminating in Marina is also being considered for stage 2 of the scheme.
The benefits of the scheme include as follows:
* Re-establish and enhance the attractiveness of rail transport as an integral alternative mode of transport
* Help to alleviate the existing traffic problems currently associated with the Lagos metropolitan roadway network along the Badagry Expressway by providing additional passenger transport capacity.
* Achieve a travel time of 23 minutes during the busy peak traffic periods (between Mile 2 and Okokomaiko).
* Boost economic activities in an area of the state already renowned as the major commercial centre in the West African region.
* Create a reduction for the demand of approximately 13,000 Danfo vehicles along the corridor.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
LAGOS | Mall of Africa | Proposed
Name: Mall of Africa
City: Lagos
Status: Proposed
Use: Shopping/Entertainment
Description: The Mall of Africa will be the Largest mall ever in Africa. Standing at it’s
120,000 Sq m size, it will hold an Entertainment Centre, Cinemas, Fashion Stores and
Retail Shops.
No. of Cinema Screens: 12
Construction Period: 2 years
120,000 Sq m size, it will hold an Entertainment Centre, Cinemas, Fashion Stores and
Retail Shops.
No. of Cinema Screens: 12
Construction Period: 2 years
NPA, Lagos approve $6 billion first deep sea port
THE promoters of the Lagos (Lekki) Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) have received the approval of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Lagos State government to build the first private and deep sea port in Lekki, 60 kilometres away from the Lagos metropolis. It would cost them $6 billion on completion.
According to the Project Director, Mr. Peter Banham, the port would be ready for commercial activities in 2011 to fully contribute to the success of the Federal Government's Vision 2020 goal. The vision is aimed at making the country one of the 20 top economies in the world.
Banham, who addressed newsmen in Lagos over the weekend, said the port would operate as a hub port besides being the first deep seaport in the country.
The port on completion, would be involved in containers, general cargoes and grains operations.
"The rationale behind the port is to provide a deep water port for Nigeria and allow larger vessels to berth. It is also to relieve the congestion in Lagos/Apapa ports. The site at Lekki is most ideally located to accommodate deep drafted vessels. The undersea contours allow the building of a deep channel most economically at Lekki. Also the port is located to take advantage of the future development of the new Lagos Free Trade Zone", he said.
Banham, who has been in shipping business for over four decades now, said everything has been concluded to enable the construction contract to be awarded in March 2009 as the channel dredging would hopefully commence in July 2010, he added.
According to him: "Phase one will be between 1.2/1.4 million TEUS (20' containers) and approx capable of handling 3,000,000 tons of break-bulk cargo. Phase two, when more land becomes available the port could handle over 2m TEUS, 3,000,000 tons of Bulk and up to 1M tones of liquid cargoes. Apart from approval by the NPA, and Lagos State government, the port project is privately owned and funded", he said.
The Guardian had reported that a group of foreign investors were concluding plans to establish the first deep sea and first hub port in Lagos, Nigeria. It would cost a whooping $6 billion on completion.
The port, being sponsored by investors from the United Kingdom and India and who are already operating multi-national companies in the country, would be ready for public use by the year 2010.
Many of the new port promoters told disclosed that it would be located within the Lagos Free Trade Zone in Lekki area of the metropolis.
According to the Project Director, Mr. Peter Banham, the port would be ready for commercial activities in 2011 to fully contribute to the success of the Federal Government's Vision 2020 goal. The vision is aimed at making the country one of the 20 top economies in the world.
Banham, who addressed newsmen in Lagos over the weekend, said the port would operate as a hub port besides being the first deep seaport in the country.
The port on completion, would be involved in containers, general cargoes and grains operations.
"The rationale behind the port is to provide a deep water port for Nigeria and allow larger vessels to berth. It is also to relieve the congestion in Lagos/Apapa ports. The site at Lekki is most ideally located to accommodate deep drafted vessels. The undersea contours allow the building of a deep channel most economically at Lekki. Also the port is located to take advantage of the future development of the new Lagos Free Trade Zone", he said.
Banham, who has been in shipping business for over four decades now, said everything has been concluded to enable the construction contract to be awarded in March 2009 as the channel dredging would hopefully commence in July 2010, he added.
According to him: "Phase one will be between 1.2/1.4 million TEUS (20' containers) and approx capable of handling 3,000,000 tons of break-bulk cargo. Phase two, when more land becomes available the port could handle over 2m TEUS, 3,000,000 tons of Bulk and up to 1M tones of liquid cargoes. Apart from approval by the NPA, and Lagos State government, the port project is privately owned and funded", he said.
The Guardian had reported that a group of foreign investors were concluding plans to establish the first deep sea and first hub port in Lagos, Nigeria. It would cost a whooping $6 billion on completion.
The port, being sponsored by investors from the United Kingdom and India and who are already operating multi-national companies in the country, would be ready for public use by the year 2010.
Many of the new port promoters told disclosed that it would be located within the Lagos Free Trade Zone in Lekki area of the metropolis.
LAGOS | Ikeja Mixed Use Development | Mixed Use | 15F | 25F | Ongoing
Ikeja Mixed Use Development
City: Lagos
Use: Mixed Use
Floors: 15F | 25F
Status: Ongoing
110 Obafemi Way, Ikeja, (COUNTRY) Nigeria
Quote:
Details:
Price ⇒ $693,965.52 (N80,500,000.00)
⇒ 3 Bedrooms, 4 Bathroom,
A multi-use, virtually self-sufficient living complex where you can work, live, shop and play, all within strolling distance of each other. Comprising two elegant towers rising out of a 4-level podium topped with an expansive Leisure Deck, the stunning architectural design of this complex is surpassed only by its extraordinary convenience.
Features:
* 25 floors of offices, 15 floors of residences
* Common podium with 4 levels of parking
* 400 sq. mts. of Leisure Deck
* Retail area and shopping mall
Price ⇒ $693,965.52 (N80,500,000.00)
⇒ 3 Bedrooms, 4 Bathroom,
A multi-use, virtually self-sufficient living complex where you can work, live, shop and play, all within strolling distance of each other. Comprising two elegant towers rising out of a 4-level podium topped with an expansive Leisure Deck, the stunning architectural design of this complex is surpassed only by its extraordinary convenience.
Features:
* 25 floors of offices, 15 floors of residences
* Common podium with 4 levels of parking
* 400 sq. mts. of Leisure Deck
* Retail area and shopping mall
BEACH RESORT ESTATE
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Lagos Takes Delivery of Sunborn Yacht Hotel
Quote:
The Lagos State Government at the weekend officially took delivery of the prestigious Sunborn Yacht Hotel which it recently acquired.The floating hotel is reputed to be one of the few major tourism innovations in the world. The 105-bedroom custom-built boat hotel moored at the Marina waterfront has become an exciting spectacle with many passers-by stopping to catch a glimpse or take photographs with their telephone devices.
Speaking while receiving the floating hotel facility, Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism and Inter-governmental Relations, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, described the transfer of the hotel to Lagos as a landmark achievement of Governor Babatunde Fashola administration meant to reposition Lagos as a tourism destination saying, “for Lagos, Africa and indeed the Middle East, this has now become the flagship and a project heralding the dawn of a new era in the Nigerian tourism sector.”
The obviously elated Senator Afikuyomi said the Yacht hotel would add value to Lagos Tourism sector being one of the very few floating hotels in the world thereby putting Lagos in the league of cities like New York, Barcelona, Paris and Finland and ahead of cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha which are said to be at various stages of setting up similar floating hotels.
Senator Afikuyomi also credited the speed and success of the acquisition to the healthy relationship between the Lagos State administration and the organized private sector in the state saying, “though this is a fully funded private sector initiative only facilitated by the State government to achieve the set objectives of the administration for the development of tourism in the state, it is on record as one of the quickest PPP transactions prosecuted to fruition in less than one year from conception. This is a credit to the vision and drive of the leadership of Governor Babatunde Fashola and the team spirit that exists in the Lagos State Executive Council”.
Speaking further on the Sunborn Yacht Hotel voted ‘Best Hotel’ in the Food and Drinks Categories in the United Kingdom for 2005 and 2006 respectively, the Minister of State for Tourism and Culture, Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong commended the vision of the Lagos State administration in embarking on the project saying, “this is a breakthrough for tourism in Nigeria and generally for the whole of Africa, because we were made to understand that this is in fact the first of this type of innovation in the hospitality industry in the whole of Africa. History has been made today. This is a landmark achievement that I am very proud to associate myself with.”
Dr. Hong further assured of the Federal government support for the project. He said: “We are very proud of this achievement because it will provide opportunities for so many Nigerians. It will also provide a destination that will power and promote tourism in Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole. On the part of the Federal Government, we are fully in support of Lagos State and its private sector partners towards realizing this very great achievement.”
The Minister further explained the degree of involvement of the Federal government saying, “though the federal government is not a part of the investment process, we are ready to give more of our support to the management team, Lagos State Government and whoever is involved. Our major excitement at the Federal level about this innovation is that, more than 400 to 500 Nigerians will have direct employment as a result of this large hotel facility and more than 1000 Nigerians will have direct benefit from purchase and supply.”
Custom-built in 1999 and refitted in the year 2002, the Sunborn Yacht Hotel combines contemporary class and comfort being 18.4m wide, 106.5m in length and 17.6m in height from the sea level. The edifice with a total of six decks and an interior space of approximately 5000 sq.m will provide a breathtaking ambience for corporate guests, conference delegates, wedding parties and leisure guests to hold their exclusive events. The Lagos Yacht hotel presently boasts of such facilities such as conference halls, restaurants, meeting rooms, spas, saunas and lounges.
Govt seeks to divert traffic from roads to waterways
Quote:
Published: Wednesday, 1 Oct 2008In a bid to surmount the intractable traffic congestion on the Lagos highways, the state government is determined to develop ferry services system in the state.
This measure is to serve as an alternative means of public transportation for commuters.
During the Lateef Jakande administration between 1979 and 1983, two notable boats, Baba Kekere and Ita Faji, were popular among Lagosians.
An on-line information obtained on the website of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, said a feasibility study of the development of ferry services in the state, being conducted by a firm, Royal Haskoning Limited, was underway.
It is meant to achieve the development and implementation of strategic plans for improving the use of waterways of metropolitan Lagos for transport services.
Already, two new jetties at Agboyi-Ketu in Kosofe Local Government Area and Ijegun Egba in Oriade Local Council Development Area of Amuwo-Odofin LGA have been constructed in addition to the existing ones in the state.
LAMATA claimed that it had also engaged a contractor to rehabilitate the Epeme and Iya-Afin jetties, both in Badagry LGA.
The dredging and channelisation of Ikorodu waterfront and the Lagos lagoon have also begun; and seven main routes have been identified for development.
Out of these, however, three routes and the Marina terminal have been earmarked as priority and provision of water transportation enhancement services.
The priority routes are: Ikorodu-Marina (North Direct line); Ojo-Marina via Satellite Town (West line); and Ijede-Badore via Lekki and Falomo-Marina (East line).
This will facilitate water transportation along Ipakodo-Ibeshe, Oworonsoki-CMS and Badore-Ijede route, to complement road transport, especially along the 22-kilometre Ikorodu Bus Rapid Transit corridor.
According to LAMATA, “there is also a plan to develop Osborne and turn it into a major terminal interchange in future.
A latest on-line newsletter of TradeInvestNigeria quoted the Commissioner for Transportation, Prof. Bamidele Badejo, as saying that “there are over 60 jetties that need to be developed and we are currently working on about only six, which means that there are a lot of openings for investors in ferry operations. There is need to develop more terminals and jetties.”
Badejo therefore called for public private partnerships in the operation of water transportation in the state. He said some operators had already been contacted and in no too distant date, water transportation would be enjoyed in the state.
The commissioner repeatedly says that Lagos city, with a population of about 17 million, cannot survive on one mode of transportation, hence the need to develop other means of transportation.
While this gesture appeared to be a challenge to the extreme congestion on the highways, the state government has been charged to provide adequate facilities capable of mitigating disaster on the waterways.
A management consultant, Mr. Remi Olagunju, said it was necessary for the state government to put measures in place to respond promptly to emergencies and turbulence on the high seas.
According to him, “ferry service is a good investment and reliable means of means of transportation. But the government should look into the aspects of safety and security of passengers, the seaworthiness of the ferries plying the waterways, communication gadgets, and coping with emergencies.”
Olagunju said the state government should also regulate the number of passengers each ferry could carry, urging would-be investors to abide by the regulations prescribed by the state water inland authority from time to time.
Yet, there a few others who did not readily applaud the operation of ferry services because of their phobia for the waterways.
An artisan, Mr. Adebayo Yusuf, said he disliked boarding the ferry because of his inability to swim. A dealer in computer accessories, Mrs. Mosun Olusola, spoke in similar vein, saying she would rather trek long distance in the absence of “commercial buses and Okada operators,” instead of boarding the ferry.
LAMATA has, however, allayed the fears expressed by these residents. The authority has assured that water transportation remains a safer mode of public transportation.
It maintained that “water transportation is a realistic and potentially effective option, given that Lagos is blessed with abundant water bodies that could be harnessed to offer fast, safe, comfortable and cheaper water transportation services.”
As the state government is opening its waterways for transport services, it is expected that shrewd businessmen would take advantage of massive urbanisation and endless rural-urban drift to Lagos to invest in ferry services in the state.
By so doing, such investors would be assisting in tackling one of the challenges of population explosion in the state.