LAGOS TO GET NEW AIRPORT.

The Lekki Airport

When the only international airport in Lagos State; Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), was built, Ikeja was a suburb of Lagosand not the bustling commercial centre it is today. All the neighbourhoods and communities around the airport, like Oshodi, Isolo,Mafoluku have become heavily built up and highly populated. These lead to sporadic and disruptive traffic congestions. Despite the fact that the Lagos State government has made heroic efforts to make the Oshodi
access to the airport better by clearing the Kaiyero Market area,there is still traffic leading up to the airport itself, especially at peak hours in the morning and evening.

This scenario and several other factors like the number of passengers flying in and out of Lagos (5million per year) have made the need for another airport in Lagos State imperative, in anticipation of further economic growth in the state. The Lagos State Government established the Lagos Airport Development Company (LADC) solely for the purpose of managing the development of the proposed Lekki Airport with a primary
objective of complementing and supporting the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).

Forward thinking as usual, the Governor through the state Ministry of Commerce and Industry is developing a masterplan for the new international airport to be built by the state in Lekki. The new airport is expected to cost $600million and will be built adjacent to the 16,500 hectare Lekki free trade zone to further catalyse the
ongoing development of the southeast region of the State.
The Lekki corridor is considered one of the most dynamic future growth areas in Nigeria. The new airport will provide much needed facilities for air passengers travelling to or via Lagos and also ease congestion at the MMIA.

The Lekki Airport is a complex project, which is why the state government engaged the best international consultants available to develop the Lekki Airport Master Plan. The study will be completed in four (4) separate stages and each stage requires approval from the Lagos State Government before proceeding to the next level.

The first stage comprises of the client’s brief; establishment of the project team; visit to the proposed site; air traffic analysis and critique for passengers and cargo; planning parameters and key facilities; yardstick measurements and airport schematics; development of airfield layout options and evaluation options and assessment.
During the second stage of the master plan, the team wrote about the passenger terminal sizing; concepts and assessment; preferred airfield and terminal options; architectural treatment options; conclusions and recommendations; development budget estimate; strategic programme options and procurement options.
For stage 3, the team will develop selected options; landside access –road & rail; prepare phasing strategy, amongst others.
The fourth and last stage will include the creation of a 3D model;presentation material; final master plan report and presentation to Governor Fashola and Lagos State Government team and the Master Plan study approval.

The Master Plan is currently at stage 3 is due to be completed by June this year. The Governor expects the airport to be operational by 2013.

EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

Goodluck Jonathan At the Nigerian Diaspora conference I had cause to say that we need to move away from dependence on crude oil otherwise we face a very dim future. On my part, I am not just raising an alarm. Together with my cabinet we are taking steps to actualise this necessary shift. As I informed you days ago, we have just set up ...an Inter Ministerial committee to revive Cocoa production and processing. It is our intention to do likewise with Rubber, Cotton, Ground Nut and Gum Arabic. I was inspired to have learnt from the writings of Mahathir Mohamad that the Palm Oil seedlings that Malaysia got from Nigeria in the early part of the last century were the seeds that gave birth to the Palm Oil plantations which made Malaysia the world’s largest producer of that product and which provided the seed money that made that nation an Asian Tiger. This is a lesson for Nigeria and we need to heed it while we have the time. It is also our intention to fund agricultural research agencies. I spent much of my life studying how to put the environment to good use as to sustain agriculture and as President I am committed to improving our agricultural capacity by consciously implementing research findings into our agricultural economy to the end that we must become a net exporter of food rather than an importer. Only then can we attain true economic independence and national food security. As an aside, it's been exactly a month since I created this page. Thanks for making it an enjoyable and informative experience. GEJ

Horrible.

Please forgive me,though,if I question if this horror is typical of Benin City in general not to talk of the whole of Edo state as indicated by the subject heading "A Typical Hospital Facility in Edo state".

For us to conclude that this is  typical of hospitals in Edo state,we need to do a study of hospitals  throughout the state,both public and private,because that is what is implied by the term "A ..Hospital Facility in Edo Sate".

It is important we dont fall into the fallacy of equating one example with a totality as people often do when criticizing Africa.

I realise that Dr.John Ogbeide,as chairman of the Edo State Hospitals Management Board,is in a position to make a summative statement about hospitals in the state.Did he make this judgment that these images are typical of Edo Sate hospitals or is that judgment being made by Solomon Uwadiale who posted these images?

I wonder if it is possible for Dr.John Ogbeide,as chairman of the Edo State Hospitals Management Board,to shed light on the causes of this problem he has highlighted in his presentation.Does it emerge from limitations of allocation to the hospitals management board? Is it from mismanagement of what is allocated? Have efforts been made to address this problems leading to this poor management or poor allocation a sthe case may be?

Edigin has summed up a crucial aspect of this problem in that the challenges here go beyond money being sent from the Diaspora,useful as that is.Such problems are often systemic and political,dealing with how power is managed in relation to the use of money.There is a need to investigate the channels of decision making through which such strategic resources  as the country and the states medical system is managed.

I wont pretend,however,to be able tio say much about how to go about this.

Sending money is more straightforward and easier but less directly targeted  at the problem.

THE MONSTER THAT WILL NEVER RETURN