The Nation Newspaper

Category: Building & Properties

  • Ministry harps on environmental law enforcement

    The Lagos State Government has resolved is partnering  the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for the enforcement of environmental laws.

    The Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti made this known when he received the Commandant, Lagos Command, of the Civil Defence Corps, Mr. Tajudeen Balogun, in his Office.

    Durosinmi-Etti said the enforcement was necessary to achieve a clean, healthy and sustainable environment and prevent epidemics in the city.

    He said Lagos had strengthened its regulatory agencies, such as the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) to enforce compliance to standard and regulations, and curb unsanitary behaviour.

    The commissioner said  monitoring, enforcement and compliance of the law had improved. He praised the NSCDC for the deal.

    His words: “Through the support of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, we have achieved a lot over the years and we want to solicit more to achieve cleaner, healthier, safer and liveable Lagos.”

    Balogun assured of his command’s support to the government, saying that the  government and NSCDC in  forestalling environmental disasters through the enforcement of environmental laws.

    He commended the Ministry for  ensuring a healthier and cleaner environment.

  • ‘How Lagos is ensuring safe environment’

    Lagos State Ministry of the Environment said it has repositioned the environment to make it more liveable. Its introduction of new waste management system will be the game-changer in the country. But how well has the ministry faired in the last one year? MUYIWA LUCAS reports. 

    For the Lagos State Commissioner for the environment, Mr. Babatunde Durosimi-Etti, getting the state residents to adjust to the new waste management system has remained daunting.

    Since the commencement of the new waste management reforms, concerted efforts have been on to reassure the populace cleaner environment.

    The commissioner, who reeled out his ministry’s efforts at maintain cleaner environment in the last one year, assured Lagosians of government’s commitment to clean, healthy and liveable environment.

     

    Solid waste management

    According to Durosinmi-Etti, said Lagos State was painstakingly addressing the challenges associated with increasing population, infrastructural gap and investment in the environment sector through the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI), which, he said, had been updated for greater efficiency.

    He emphasised that the new system of Solid Waste Management in the state had berthed a truly private-sector-run and technology-driven sub-sector to the state’s economy, creating new businesses and job opportunities for the people.

    According to him, the state had entered a new dimension with the engagement so far, of 13,958 Community Sanitation Workers, who would now be supervised by the Ministry of the Environment for the sweeping of inner streets in the 377 political wards of the state.

    He explained that the ongoing reform in the sector, Waste Collector Operators (WCOs), otherwise known as the PSP operators, has now been charged with the responsibility of managing residential and general waste collection, while Visionscape Sanitation Solutions was, henceforth, mandated to implement waste management infrastructure development across the state, in addition to intervening in public waste collection to cover any service lapses that may occur.

    As part of the reform, he said the Lagos State Public Works Corporation would oversee drainage management across the state, while the state Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) and the Public Utilities Monitoring and Assurance Unit (PUMAU) would both focus on enforcement and monitoring, while Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) would handle the enforcement of law against illegal dumping and fly-tipping, and PUMAU would track and control the payment of fees as well as supervise collection operations.

    The commissioner also disclosed that the Epe landfill site, under construction by Visionscape, was achieving remarkable progress, especially with the completion of the weigh-in Bridge, among other facilities, while Portland Energy and Power was mobilising to site for the commencement of work on Erikiti Engineered Hazardous Landfill in Badagry.

    “The Transfer Loading Stations (TLS), which are under construction in Agege, Oshodi, Lagos Island (Tapa), in addition to Waste Depots at Mushin and Ogudu, have attained over 80 per cent completion. On completion, these facilities will enhance the turn-around time of waste compactors to further ease the waste challenge,” he said.

    He stressed that the promotion of waste recycling as a waste reduction strategy, was critical to the attainment of clean, healthy and liveable environment, adding that the state government had registered 398 recycling related facilities, while 2, 874, 319kg material ranging from cartons, cans, pet bottles, papers, among others, had been recovered and recycled within the last one year.

     

     Water initiative

    Durosimi-Etti explained that the government is determined to sustainably meet the potable water demand of the people. This, he explained, is why the administration of Governor Aknwunmi Ambode rapidly increased access to safe drinking water by adding 10 Million Gallons per Day (MGD) to bring water supply to 220MGD.

    He said the major boost in water supply was achieved through the massive investment in water infrastructure, capacity enhancement of existing waterworks and building of new ones.

    Besides, he revealed that the state government had completed the rehabilitation of 48 Mini-Waterworks in different parts of the state, including Ikeja, Surulere, Onikan, Epe, Ikorodu, Dolphin, Ajangbadi, Victoria Island, VI Annex, Lekki, Ikoyi, Ojo, Igando, Badore, Ikate, Apapa, Coker Aguda, Magodo, Meiran, Isheri Osun, Alexandra, Eredo, Somolu, Ojokoro, and Iwaya.

    “This is in addition to the rehabilitation of the major waterworks of Iju and Adiyan Phase I with 45 MGD  and 70 MGD capacity,  respectively,  as well as the ongoing construction of the 70MGD Adiyan Water Treatment Plant Phase II to  supply water at their optimal capacities. Others are the 4 MGD Ishasi waterworks; the 2MGD Imeke Iworo waterworks, both of which will serve the corridors of Mile 2, Owode, Barracks, Alaba International, Old Ojo Road, Ajangbadi, parts of Badagry and adjoining communities,” he said.

    Durosimi-Etti said to achieve greater efficiency and water supply management, government had deployed the required technology and administrative measures, chief among were: installation of 13,800 pre-paid meters to ensure accurate billing in some parts of state such as Lekki, Victoria Island, Surulere, Itire, Iwaya, Ikeja etc.

    There was also the procurement of leak-detection equipment for network intelligence and distribution teams to minimise water wastages and forestall leakages; and the refurbishment of generating sets as well as the installation of 33KV panel and accessories at Akute intake pumping station to serve as alternative power supply.

    “To keep track of all water facilities spread widely across the state, Mr. Ambode’ Administration has introduced Asset Management Plan as well as Geographic Information System(GIS) to enable us locate, track, maintain and replace key fixed assets,” he added.

     

    Stronger legislation

    Durosinmi-Etti affirmed that Lagos had strengthened its regulatory agencies to enforce compliance to standard and regulations, and curb all unsanitary behaviour by applying the required penalties, adding that monitoring, enforcement and compliance activities of the ministry and its agencies had improved in steering the state towards environmental sustainability.

    He said the ministry has continued to monitor industrial facilities based on indicators such as Chemical Storage Permit, Environmental Audit Report, Petroleum Storage, Solid Waste Management and the use of Personal Protective Equipment etc.  He explained that 63 percent of the 81 industrial facilities monitored in the last one year were satisfactory while 38 percent were unsatisfactory. This this end, the state, he further revealed, has issued non-compliance notices to 209 facilities due to their recurring environmental issues.

    According to him, 76 per cent of the 4,378 tenements and 597 private facilities monitored for compliance to wastewater policy of the state government were served abatement notices while 60 per cent of 1, 185 complaints received on noise pollution were abated.

    For the enforcement of Environmental Laws, he explained that operatives of the LAGESC arrested  2, 097 environmental offenders, comprising illegal street traders, hawkers, highway pedestrian defaulters, environmental nuisance polluters and cart-pushers. 136 offenders were engaged in communal service across the metropolis while others were arraigned for prosecution in line with the law at the Samuel Ilori Court, Ogba and Special Offences Mobile Court, Oshodi.

    Certainly, the race to a safer environment cannot be over emphasised, especially with the associated concerns of climate change.

  • 3,000 benefit from Lagos housing initiatives

    The Lagos State  Ministry of Housing has handed over keys to another set of 150 winners in the state’s Rent-to-Own (RTO) housing scheme.

    This brings to 650 the number of beneficiaries since its introduction by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.  The RTO is an improvement on the former State Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme.

    Under the scheme, only a five per cent deposit is required by the allotees, while the balance is spread over a 10-year period. Hitherto, intending home owners were required to pay 30 per cent equity contribution on property allocated to them before taking delivery of same.

    This policy initiative, according to Commissioner for Housing, Gbolahan Lawal is enable residents  have decent and affordable housing.

    “The handing over of keys to another batch of 150 people, brings the number of allottees to 650 so far. What this implies is that a total number of 3,000 people have so far benefited from the scheme if calculated at an average of five persons per family. The state has about 5,008 housing units in 12 different locations across the state dedicated to the rent-to-own housing policy.

    He said the policy enables aspiring homeowners to pay five per cent of the value of the property and spread the balance over a period of 10 years.

    Lagos State Mortgage Board General Manager, Dehinde Tunwashe, explained that the allocation, and previous ones, had  been carried out in a “fair and just” manner.

    He appealed to the allottees to be prompt in paying their monthly rent, adding that this would  encourage the state government to build more houses.

    Tunwashe said it was mandatory to pay insurance premium on the policies put in place by the state government to safeguard their property against any form of disaster.He further urged the allottees to cooperate with the facility managers and ensure that the facilities in the estates are put to good use.

    Also, Lawal said to prevent its estates from degenerating into slums, the government had made it compulsory that facility managers are engaged for the management of new state-owned housing estates. Facility managers, he explained, would ensure that the estates were well-catered for.

    Other initiatives by the government to make housing  available are the Rental Housing Programme, targeted at persons with irregular income or who are unable to meet the requirement of the five per cent commitment for rent-to-own; and the Lagos Affordable Public Housing initiative (LAPH).

    LAPH is a joint venture between the government and the private investors to construct 20,000 housing units over four years.

  • LASEPA declares hospitals, libraries, courts noise-free zones

    The government has declared public institutions noise free, the General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) Anthonio Ayodele has said.

    Listed among such institutions are hospitals, libraries, court premises, and Government Reserved Areas (GRA), which noise/horn free signs would be installed.

    He disclosed this at the third stakeholders interactive session with the theme: ‘Noise pollution abatement evaluation in an emerging smart city, two years retrospect’. It was organised by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) at  Alausa.

    Ayodele said the move was to make citizens imbibe the culture of a serene environment.

    He said the signages prohibiting noise would be installed by the agency.

    Ayodele, who disclosed that Agege and Alimosho for the past two years, have remained local governments with the highest noise pollution complaints, said worship centres have been identified as the worst spot of noise pollution, followed by the entertainment industry.

    “Increase in noise pollution from both indoor and outdoor activities of hotels, bars, clubs, lounges,beer parlors, and event centres among others in recent times became a source of concern to the government, especially where residential houses are converted for such purposes without necessary approvals,” he said.

    He said the time had come for the growth of smart solutions to th menace of noise pollution before it becomes intractable.

    Reflecting on past activities of the agency, Ayodele said LASEPA over the years had engaged in aggressive advocacy and mediation across the state to ensure peaceful co-existence of all segments of the society.

    He said 2016 conflicts were resolved between 2016 and last year, and to save time and resources of petitioners, the agency processed online complaints through an interactive website where citizens can generate complaints over environmental pollution issue without necessarily appearing at the agency.

    “Agency officials also embark on spy missions to get evidences of pollution without prior notice,” he added.

    The LASEPA chief said the government is committed to ensuring the realisation of a noiseless Lagos and urged all stakeholders to develop a culture of sustainable noise management even at the grassroots.

    “We must come together to redress noise pollution and develop a culture of sustainable noise management in all sectors of the economy,” Ayodele said.

    He said the need for positive attitudinal change by all was the way to good governance which is the desired goal of the state government.

    He also LASEPA with the Ministry of Transportation would  resuscitate the October 15, ‘Horn Free Day.’

    Earlier, the Commissioner for the Environment Mr Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti advocated self-compliance in all areas of the environment as the way to go to improve standard of living of the people.

    Durosinmi-Etti, who harped on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s commitment to improving the quality of life of citizens said nothing would be achieved if citizens fail to actively contribute their quota to the promotion of a serene and peaceful environment.

  • Firm to hold conference

    This year’s edition of the Nigerian Facilities Management Roundtable will hold in Lagos on Wednesday. The conference, organised by Alpha Mead Group is themed:  ”Enabling Positive Experiences in a Post-Recession Real Estate Market”.

    According to the Group Managing Director of the firm, Femi Akintunde, the conference seeks to highlight how facilities management plays an integral role in enabling positive experience for all stakeholders in the real estate value chain of FM service providers, customers, employees, government, etc. This year’s edition, according to the organisers, will take a clinical look at the infrastructure sector, especially with the increasing interests in the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model by both states and Federal Government.

    The conference, he further explained, seeks to proffer aid to how employees’ can aid productivity and business profitability, including how landlords can attract the right tenants and retain them. Other highlights at the conference will include how FM can help improve the experience in the healthcare space and rescue the country from the challenges of medical tourism

    The keynote address will be delivered by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita.  Other speakers include the Ag. Director General, Infrastructure Concessioning Regulatory Agency (ICRC), Mr. Chidi Izuwah; the Director General, Lagos State Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Office, Ope George; amongst others.

  • NITP urges Cross River government on urban planning board

    The Cross River State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) has called on the state government to establish an Urban Planning Board in line with the Urban and Regional Planning Act 2004.

    The state Chairman of NITP, Mr Daniel Ukene, made the call in a statement while reacting to the activities of the State Development Control Task Force, at the weekend in Calabar, the state capital.

    He said although they recognised the responsibility of the state government to ensuring the orderly development of its urban and rural Areas, it nevertheless must do so within the ambits of the law.

    “Government shall exercise its physical planning responsibilities within the framework of the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act. Cap 138, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004, from where it derives its mandate.

    “Therefore, it is our considered view that it is also the responsibility of the state government to comply with the relevant provisions of the Act or domesticate same in the state including the establishment of the State Urban Planning Board, ” he said.

    The chairman said town planners in the state had made several futile efforts to draw the attention of the state government on the illegality of setting up of such Task Force on town planning and development.

    According to him, in as much as town planners in the state appreciate the concern of the government to enforce the orderly development of the state, such should be handled by competent and registered professionals.

    He described the activities of the Task Force as purely unprofessional, adding that this would have negative consequences on the state in the long run.

    “Currently, the Task Force had begun massive posting of stop work, demolition notices, which are statutory functions of town planners as spelt out in the Urban and Regional Planning Act and Cross River Building Regulation Law,” he said.

    He added that the Bill establishing the Task Force was yet to be passed into Law by the State House of Assembly, saying this had rendered the Task Force illegal.

    Ukene said that they were willing to dialogue with the state government on the professional way of handling issue bordering on the orderly development of Calabar and the state in general.

    “As town planners, we are open to dialogue on the way forward for the proper and orderly development of Calabar and our state in general,” he said.

    Also, the State Representative of Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC), Mr Archibong Omon, said they decided to inform the public in order to clear the two bodies of any complacency in the activities of the Task Force.

    “Many concerned citizens have continued to ask questions about what is going on, so we have to let Cross Riverians know that we are not part of the activities of the Task Force,” he said.

  • How to adapt to flood, storm, by UN report

    A newly-released United Nations (UN) report has   detailed how to adapt to climate change impacts, such as increased flooding or intensifying storms in human settlements, from mega cities to villages.

    Importantly, the report provides hands-on tools that national and subnational governments can use to build climate resilience in collaboration with communities, civil society organisations, research centres and the private sector.

    Released by UN Climate Change and prepared under the Nairobi work programme, the report, titled: “Adaptation in human settlements: key findings and way forward”, aims to share good practices and lessons learned to date and will be taken forward at an event at the May Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany.

    The report is said to be timely as both the contribution to climate action by cities as well as urbanisation are increasing world-wide. Already, more than 50 per cent of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a number which is expected to about 70 per cent by 2050.

    Climate change is reportedly exacerbating the vulnerability of human settlements to natural and human-made hazards globally to a disproportionate degree, especially in developing countries, coastal and delta regions and Small Island developing States (SIDS).

    Increasing the climate resilience of human settlements is thus an important measure to protect lives and livelihoods, preserve development gains, and promote sustainable development, according to experts.

    Cities around the world have begun realising this and more and more are taking action to increase resilience. Yet given the rate of urbanisation around the globe, more is needed to protect people and infrastructure going forward, says the UNFCCC.

    This often includes the need to close knowledge gaps around the issue for decision-makers and planners at the national and local levels.

    The report – available in all six UN languages – synthesises the latest experiences of resilience-building in human settlements by governments and organisations, as well as the latest research in this area.

    Its key findings concentrate on the following areas: assessing vulnerability and integrating short and long-term climate considerations into adaptation planning; the role of national governments in supporting local adaptation, including through national adaptation plans; city to-city partnerships on adaptation to climate change; a key event to build on the report as a launch-pad for boosting resilience in cities, towns and villages.

    During the May Climate Change Conference, which commenced last Monday, a side event will take place to build on the report and its findings and take it forward in concrete terms.

    The side event, tagged: “Closing knowledge gaps on Human Settlements and Adaptation: The way forward”, will discuss opportunities to close knowledge gaps related to human settlements and adaptation for decision-makers and planners at the local and national levels.

    The aim of the event, it was gathered, is to identify concrete proposals with partners to address knowledge needs in the short and medium term. The report and the side event are the result of a seven-step approach that aims at advancing resilience in cities, towns and villages through knowledge.

  • ‘How Lagos is ensuring safe environment’

    Lagos State Ministry of the Environment said it has repositioned the environment to make it more liveable. Its introduction of new waste management system will be the game-changer in the country. But how well has the ministry faired in the last one year? MUYIWA LUCAS reports. 

    For the Lagos State Commissioner for the environment, Mr. Babatunde Durosimi-Etti, getting the state residents to adjust to the new waste management system has remained daunting. Since the commencement of the new waste management reforms, concerted efforts have been on to reassure the populace cleaner environment.

    The commissioner, who last week, reeled out his ministry’s efforts at maintain cleaner environment in the last one year, assured Lagosians of government’s commitment to clean, healthy and liveable environment.

    Solid waste management

    According to Durosinmi-Etti, said Lagos State was painstakingly addressing the challenges associated with increasing population, infrastructural gap and investment in the environment sector through the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI), which, he said, had been updated for greater efficiency.

    He emphasised that the new system of Solid Waste Management in the state had berthed a truly private-sector-run and technology-driven sub-sector to the state’s economy, creating new businesses and job opportunities for the people.

    According to him, the state had entered a new dimension with the engagement so far, of 13,958 Community Sanitation Workers, who would now be supervised by the Ministry of the Environment for the sweeping of inner streets in the 377 political wards of the state.

    He explained that the ongoing reform in the sector, Waste Collector Operators (WCOs), otherwise known as the PSP operators, has now been charged with the responsibility of managing residential and general waste collection, while Visionscape Sanitation Solutions was, henceforth, mandated to implement waste management infrastructure development across the state, in addition to intervening in public waste collection to cover any service lapses that may occur.

    As part of the reform, he said the Lagos State Public Works Corporation would oversee drainage management across the state, while the state Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) and the Public Utilities Monitoring and Assurance Unit (PUMAU) would both focus on enforcement and monitoring, while Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) would handle the enforcement of law against illegal dumping and fly-tipping, and PUMAU would track and control the payment of fees as well as supervise collection operations.

    The Commissioner also disclosed that the Epe landfill site, under construction by Visionscape, was achieving remarkable progress, especially with the completion of the weigh-in Bridge, among other facilities, while Portland Energy and Power was mobilising to site for the commencement of work on Erikiti Engineered Hazardous Landfill in Badagry.

    “The Transfer Loading Stations (TLS), which are under construction in Agege, Oshodi, Lagos Island (Tapa), in addition to Waste Depots at Mushin and Ogudu, have attained over 80 per cent completion. On completion, these facilities will enhance the turn-around time of waste compactors to further ease the waste challenge,” he said.

    He stressed that the promotion of waste recycling as a waste reduction strategy, was critical to the attainment of clean, healthy and liveable environment, adding that the state government had registered 398 recycling related facilities, while 2, 874, 319kg material ranging from cartons, cans, pet bottles, papers, among others, had been recovered and recycled within the last one year.

     

     Water initiative

    Durosimi-Etti explained that the government is determined to sustainably meet the potable water demand of the people. This, he explained, is why the administration of Governor Aknwunmi Ambode rapidly increased access to safe drinking water by adding 10 Million Gallons per Day (MGD) to bring water supply to 220MGD.

    He said that the major boost in water supply was achieved through the massive investment in water infrastructure, capacity enhancement of existing waterworks and building of new ones.

    Besides, he revealed that the state government had completed the rehabilitation of 48 Mini-Waterworks in different parts of the state, including Ikeja, Surulere, Onikan, Epe, Ikorodu, Dolphin, Ajangbadi, Victoria Island, VI Annex, Lekki, Ikoyi, Ojo, Igando, Badore, Ikate, Apapa, Coker Aguda, Magodo, Meiran, Isheri Osun, Alexandra, Eredo, Somolu, Ojokoro, and Iwaya.

    “This is in addition to the rehabilitation of the major waterworks of Iju and Adiyan Phase I with 45 MGD  and 70 MGD capacity,  respectively,  as well as the ongoing construction of the 70MGD Adiyan Water Treatment Plant Phase II to  supply water at their optimal capacities. Others are the 4 MGD Ishasi waterworks; the 2MGD Imeke Iworo waterworks, both of which will serve the corridors of Mile 2, Owode, Barracks, Alaba International, Old Ojo Road, Ajangbadi, parts of Badagry and adjoining communities,” he said.

    Durosimi-Etti said to achieve greater efficiency and water supply management, government had deployed the required technology and administrative measures, chief among were: installation of 13,800 pre-paid meters to ensure accurate billing in some parts of state such as Lekki, Victoria Island, Surulere, Itire, Iwaya, Ikeja etc.

    There was also the procurement of leak-detection equipment for network intelligence and distribution teams to minimise water wastages and forestall leakages; and the refurbishment of generating sets as well as the installation of 33KV panel and accessories at Akute intake pumping station to serve as alternative power supply.

    “To keep track of all water facilities spread widely across the state, Mr. Ambode’ Administration has introduced Asset Management Plan as well as Geographic Information System(GIS) to enable us locate, track, maintain and replace key fixed assets,” he added.

     

    Stronger legislation

    Durosinmi-Etti affirmed that Lagos had strengthened its regulatory agencies to enforce compliance to standard and regulations, and curb all unsanitary behaviour by applying the required penalties, adding that monitoring, enforcement and compliance activities of the ministry and its agencies had improved in steering the state towards environmental sustainability.

    He said the ministry has continued to monitor industrial facilities based on indicators such as Chemical Storage Permit, Environmental Audit Report, Petroleum Storage, Solid Waste Management and the use of Personal Protective Equipment etc.  He explained that 63 percent of the 81 industrial facilities monitored in the last one year were satisfactory while 38 percent were unsatisfactory. This this end, the state, he further revealed, has issued non-compliance notices to 209 facilities due to their recurring environmental issues.

    According to him, 76 per cent of the 4,378 tenements and 597 private facilities monitored for compliance to wastewater policy of the state government were served abatement notices while 60 per cent of 1, 185 complaints received on noise pollution were abated.

    For the enforcement of Environmental Laws, he explained that operatives of the LAGESC arrested a number of 2, 097 environmental offenders, comprising illegal street traders, hawkers, highway pedestrian defaulters, environmental nuisance polluters and cart-pushers. 136 offenders were engaged in communal service across the metropolis while others were arraigned for prosecution in line with the law at the Samuel Ilori Court, Ogba and Special Offences Mobile Court, Oshodi.

    Certainly, the race to a safer environment cannot be over emphasised, especially with the associated concerns of climate change.

  • ‘Real estate market getting out of recession’

    The real estate market was one of the worst hit during the15-month period of economic recession,  GroupManaging Director, Alpha Mead, Femi Akintunde, has said.

    He said during the period, which  was between 2016 first quarter and the second quarter of 2017. the growth in the sector dimmed, as the market was defined by low demand, widening vacancy rates, increasing case of rent service charge defaults, and slowdown in construction activities.

    He said these market characteristics are gradually giving away, due to improving macro-economic indices.

    For instance, Q1 2018 report by International Real Estate Partners (IREP) Nigeria, one of Alpha Mead’s Strategic Business Units (SBUs), noted that rents in commercial properties, such as Grade “A” Office space, could lightly fall below the current average of $700 per square metre, as the market anticipates the arrival of 37,000 square metre in Victoria Island and Ikoyi; and the demand for this class of office space is not growing at the same pace.

    In the retail space, the report further suggested that the rise in neighborhood retail stores are decreasing footfalls at the modern retail centres, therefore, the modern retail centres need to provide add-ons of some leisure experience to increase footfall and deliver value to their investors.

    Therefore, for these markets to receive new lease of life, stakeholders argued that it is important to understand what roles facility management (FM) play in enabling the positive experience for its stakeholders.

    For instance, he said by using the PPP model and Facilities Management, performance of existing national infrastructure assets can be optimised and strategies explored to build new ones in response to the country’s infrastructure deficit.

    “How do we deliver stronger return on investment (RoI) to private real estate investors and developers? How do we improve collaboration between private and public sector to leverage global standards of living and working through provision and management of quality public space and infrastructure?” Akintunde said.

    He explained that as Facilities Managers, his firm reckons that PPP arrangements like what government is considering, are critical to enabling the prosperity of the market. Therefore, he further said, there is the need to make stronger case for the strategic involvement of Facilities Management as a sustainable strategy for PPP projects.

  • Firm delivers resort centre on BOT agreement

    Allied Trust and Systems Nigeria Limited (ATSL), has inaugurated a newly completed resort centre in Lagos. The complex, known as Funplex Resort Centre, was developed on a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) agreement between the company and the National Planning Commission (NPC) to develop and manage the facility for the Centre for Management Development (CMD), Lagos.

    Under the terms of the agreement, 5.02 hectares of land belonging to CMD was demised to ATSL, who was also expected to renovate an existing 30-room facility, which serve as the Guest House for CMD; construct a 102-room guest house with a four-star facility; build and operate a 1, 000 seat conference facility and pay a graduated annual rent to the CMD management in three tranches over the lease period.

    At the inauguration, the Managing Director of ATSL, Mr. Emeka Nwasike said, the concession agreement ATSL has with the CMD, is to develop the latter’s Guest House, a property owned by the institution, sitting on a mass expanse of land in Magodo, Lagos. According to him, not only has ATSL succeeded in transforming the guest house, but the company has gone beyond to develop the property, turning it into a five-star relaxation centre through the establishment of several other businesses within the property.

    He revealed that the event centre which is part of a mix called Funplex Resort is a one-stop-shop for fun and entertainment. “Our goal is to provide Nigerians with an event centre that can cater for all their corporate and social needs,” he said.

    Features in the facility include a gym, spa, beauty saloon, cinema, a bush bar, an underground club house and event halls that have the capacity to sit over 2, 000 guests comfortably.

    “It has modern facilities like air conditioning systems, well-furnished VIP suites/changing rooms, a standard performance stage and entertainment technology systems” he said.

    In similar vein, a former Director General of CMD, Dr. Joseph Maiyaki, who was in office when the institute and ATSL signed the agreement, described the project as a good example of a public-private partnership.