On June 6, 2024, precisely on Thursday, Lagos residents in Alimosho area of Lagos State, witnessed yet another result of persistence and commitment as the administration of Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu successfully delivered a project that had defied all efforts at completion for over two decades due to abandonment.
Sanwo-Olu, inaugurated the first cluster, Egan-Igando Mixed Housing Scheme of 270 units project, located in Ikeja Division of the state. It is situated along Agric Road, Egan in Igando-Ikotun Local Council Development Area, LCDA, of the state on a land area of 17.358 hectares.
This project was conceived to provide descent accommodation for sub-urban dwellers. It was proposed to consist of 101 blocks of 846 home units made up 1, 2, and 3 bedrooms apartments.
This project was started by the Lagos State Ministry of Housing in 2001 with 33 Blocks (18 in 1) of the two bedrooms. By the year 2002, most of the blocks had been abandoned at different stages of construction due to paucity of funds and policy somersault.
This was the status until April 2006, when former Governor Bola Tinubu, during his second term in office, transferred the project to the Lagos Building Investment Company, LBIC, in partnership with the Ministry of Housing through a Public Private Partnership, arrangement.
After the take-over of the project, LBIC constructed Type A and B Blocks, however, the project became stalled again. To increase the chances of completion, the then Governor Babatunde Fashola directed the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to take-over the project in the year 2013.
In year 2016, the project was returned to the Ministry of Housing by the then Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. Inorder to speed up its completion, the ministry divided the project into clusters.
Instructively, during the period of abandonment, criminal elements held sway on the facility, where they carried out nefarious activities on neighbourhood and surrounding communities.
The Egan-Igando Mixed Housing Scheme has modern facilities which make it a descent housing estate for residents. The external features include: Car parks, water treatment plant, GRD/ Overhead Water Tanks, borehole, water pump house.
Electricity transformers, perimeter fence and gate house, roads/drains, central sewage plant, electricity ingestion station. The construction work is set to commence soon on the other clusters.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Sanwo-Olu promised to complete the remaining 576 home units in Clusters Two and Three for more residents to benefit, irrespective of their ethnicity or political affiliations.
The governor, who appealed to beneficiaries to take ownership of the project and protect it from vandals, said his government was ready to partner with the private sector to build more affordable housing estates in the state.
"The completion of this project will address the urgent need for affordable housing and also foster a sense of community and belonging among our residents. This project is designed to cater to diverse economic groups, reflecting a vision of an inclusive society where everyone has a home.
"We must innovate and partner with private investors to bridge the gap, which we cannot do alone. We need to enhance our public and private investments in housing. We must continue to build decent homes.
"I will like to appeal to future occupants to please ensure good maintenance of these facilities," he stated.
Sanwo-Olu also urged traditional rulers and community leaders to provide more land for the government to build more infrastructure in rural areas.
The state Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, described the estate as a landmark project that stands as a testament to Governor Sanwo Olu's commitment to providing affordable and quality housing for the residents of the state.
Akinderu-Fatai, also, appealed to the private sector to partner with the state government to provide more affordable housing for residents.
He disclosed that Sanwo-Olu, in his magnanimity, had also graciously approved that all existing subscribers with full payment for either a unit of two bedrooms or three bedrooms be given allocation from Cluster One at no additional fees to the selling price.
Akinderu-Fatai, who noted that the gesture by the Governor was to appreciate the trust and commitment of the subscribers over time in the state, said other subscribers with more than 50 per cent commitment on the initial selling price shall be considered with an option to balance up at the current selling price.
"This significant occasion marks the completion of 270 units of two-bedroom apartments, a vital step towards alleviating the housing deficit in Lagos, hence bringing succour to the beloved people of the Igando-Ikotun LCDA in Alimosho LGA.
"As we hand over the keys to the new homeowners, we reaffirm our commitment to completing Clusters 2 and 3. We will continue to work assiduously to overcome any challenges, ensuring that every promised unit is delivered. This project is a clear indication that when we combine vision with dedication, the results are transformative," the commissioner stated.
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Akinderu-Fatai commended Sanwo-Olu for his great determination and unusual support for the housing sector, particularly on the completion and delivery of the Egan-Igando Mixed Housing Estate.
The Chairman of Igando-Ikotun LCDA, Lasisi Akinsanya, and Onigando of Igando Land, Oba Lasisi Gbadamosi, praised Governor Sanwo-Olu for the Estate, which they described as an abode for criminal elements before government's final intervention, saying they appreciated the good gesture.
It was gathered that the miscreants, led by a gang leader whose identity was not revealed, also engaged in illicit drug deals,rape, armed robberies, among others with law enforcement constant raiding on the place.
Oba, Lasisi, also called on the governor to increase the number of security personnel inorder to further boost security of property and lives in the area considering the corresponding economic value the facility would attract.
