Traditional rulers and other eminent personalities in Ikorodu have welcomed the move by Lagos State Government to site a shopping mall and a theatre at the Ikorodu Local Government secretariat located on TOS Benson Road in the town.
Rising from a meeting, the leaders also debunked claims in a media report suggesting that they were not in support of the plan, and instead commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for his decision to embark on the projects in the area.
Leaders at the meeting include former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Abiodun Ogunleye; Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi; Lagos State Vice Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in charge of the East, Kaoli Olusanya; former Secretaries to the State Government, Funmi Bashorun and Adenrele Ogunsanya; Chairman, Council of Baales, Ikorodu District, Muftau Odusoga; and the Chairman of Ikorodu Community Development Council (CDC), Lukman Shonibare.
Speaking on the development, Ogunleye praised Ambode, saying that the projects would create an efficient and more optimal use of the current site of the secretariat which, since the creation of five local council development areas (LCDAs) out of the council, had been largely under-utilised and inefficiently managed.
According to him, the new projects would create a viable socio-economic life in the town and enhance its contribution to the state’s GDP, adding that more employment opportunities would be created for the youths through the projects.
He recalled that a stakeholders’ meeting was held at the Ikorodu Town Hall in 2017 where everyone was invited and the proposed projects were presented to the people, insisting that there was no iota of truth in the report that the people were against the projects.
“It was at the meeting that Ikorodu people approved that the shopping mall should be sited where the council secretariat is,” Ogunleye clarified.
On his part, Oba Shotobi, who recently led a team of his chiefs to the temporary location of the council at Lagos Road, Ikorodu, lauded Ambode for the initiative, adding that the proposed projects would turn-around the economic potentials of Ikorodu Division.
The monarch, who refuted the allegation that the current site of the land had been sold, said he would never be part of such deal, saying: “I can never compromise the future of Ikorodu.”
“Basically, economic development is the main reason why we are vacating the present location of the council.”
Ibile Holdings, the investment arm of the Lagos State Government, is the facilitator of the new investment to be sited at the current location of the local government secretariat.
Under the arrangement, new blocks of offices will be constructed opposite the post office on Oriwu Road, Ikorodu, for the local government as its permanent secretariat.
