By Tunde Alao
THE ambitious $3 billion redevelopment scheme seeking to transform the troubled Lagos beachfront into a comprehensive tourism and commercial facility - which was formally launched with fanfare last week - has been given a 2015 completion deadline.
The Eko Atlantic City Project (EACP),' as the project has been labelled, will involve the reclamation of some 820 hectares of land under a scheme targeted at restoring the tourism appeal of the famous Bar beach. The project was conceptualised under the administration of the immediate former governor of the state, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
At the project launch in full international glare during the Ehingbeti development summit last week, Mr. David Frame, managing director of South Energy X (Limited), the project contractor, assured that given the commitment of the state government to the project, it is expected to be completed within even years by year 2015.
The state governor, while unveiling the project last week, anticipated "enormous social and economic benefits after the completion of the project," explaining that the general concept is the provision of the needed amenities that will enhance the tourism attraction and relaxation opportunities to both the local and international clients.
Infrastructure work will involve initially, restoration of coastline lost to coastal erosion since 1905 and provision of a permanent solution to the menace through "a robust sea wall or revelment along the newly re-constituted coastline".
The overall area to be reclaimed involves a length of 6.500 metres, and on average width of 1,260 metres.
The western boundary of the development will stretch from the existing mole constructed between 1905 and 1908 to protect the entrance to the Lagos Harbour, to incorporate a large portion of the Marina with access to the sea.
However, a major re-development component will be on the northern boundary on Victoria Island, where the major Ahmadu Bello Way is to be widened to an eight-lane highway to be known as "Coastal Road."
Developments envisaged in the EACP include family entertainment centres, water based entertainment and boat club, upscale commercial opportunities, offices, retail and residential properties, office parks, conference, event and exhibition facilities. Others are shopping malls, beach and recreational park development, hotels, guest houses, club houses and resorts.
"In view of the quality of services planned for the Eko Atlantic City project, there is to be provided state-of-the-art top grade infrastructure, comparable with any of such project in the world," said Fashola, who sought the assistance of both the Federal Government and the private sector in the development projects lined up by his administration.
To be incorporated into the Atlantic City project are a 30 metres wide central waterway, which will provide water transport facility connecting the marina, as well as an international standard electrical power generation plant with underground distribution.
Also to be provided are water supply treatment and distribution mains, sewage collection mains leading to a modern treatment plants, a network of service ducts to provide IT services and post construction maintenance and management facilities.
The governor urged institutional investors, real estate developers, both local and foreign, multinationals, corporate organisations and the public to avail themselves of the opportunity to invest in the project.
Fashola described the development of Eko Atlantic City as "a classical example of the state government's policy thrust of fast-tracking infrastructural development of the state through public private partnership (PPP). This is what gave birth to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and working relationship between the state government and the sponsor and promoter of Eko Atlantic City project, Energyx Nigeria Limited."
He added: "Our consultants and partners have demonstrated their technical and engineering competence by using local capacity and contractors, Messrs. Hitech Construction Company Limited to complete the first phase of the project, which was the Sea Defense Wall that protected Lagos from flooding last year when she experienced the highest rainfall ever in 25 years."
