The Lagos State government has signed a N300-million agreement with a foreign company, Dar Al-Handash, for the development of a master plan for the Lekki corridor.

The government on behalf of the stakeholders signed the agreement, which will entail a comprehensive infrastructure master plan. The project, to be financed by stakeholders, is expected to be completed within five months. Speaking on the occasion, Governor Babatunde Fashola, expressed gratitude to the stakeholders for financing the project and said the government would ensure that the money was well utilised. He said the government resolved to partner with the stakeholders to ensure the production of the master plan.

According to him, the lekki axis is the fastest growing corridor, as it has the largest concentration of private estates under development. Fashola said in spite of the fast growing rate, the state of the environment ``was becoming increasingly worrisome due to haphazardly arranged physical developments, poor linkages between private layouts and government schemes.'' He listed others reasons that necessitated the master plan as the lack of proper linkages between sewer lines, roads and drainage lines. Fashola said that there was also unapproved diversion of natural watercourses and water bodies, uncoordinated sand-filling and flagrant disregard of town planning laws and regulations by developers.

The governor said the project handling company had a good track. Mr. Francisco Abosede, the commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, said the ministry suspended approval of private layout plans along the Lekki corridor to make way for the preparation of the master plan.
He said a six-man technical sub committee had been constituted to negotiate with the consultants on professional fees and look into the issue of cost recovery.

Mr. Opuiyo Oforiokuma, managing director of Lekki Concession Company Ltd., remarked that the successful conclusion of the agreement posed a critical demand on the government to create an enabling environment for public-private partnership to thrive.