The first phase of the 11-storey Isale Gangan residential scheme in Lagos Island began four years ago has been completed.
Governor Babatunde Fashola, who visited the site, said the project’s completion was a relief because of fear of structural instability raised by some people.
The building was piled to secure the structural stability of the houses, because of the terrain. About 200 piles have been sunk – some of them as deep as 27 metres. The 54-flat housing project is meant to renew the historic Isale-Gangan in the central part of Lagos Island.
The houses, being constructed by Anatolia International Limited, would have 36 two-bedroom flats and 18 three-bedroom flats. They are designed to incorporate two floors for parking; two lifts; staircases and escape staircases among other features.
The governor, accompanied by the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and other members of his cabinet was conducted round the project by the Managing Director of the construction company, Mr Chahid Raffoul.
Fashola praised “the construction competence” of the contractor.
He said: “You can see the type of construction, the type of piling, over 200 piles already here and more to come. There are piles that have gone as deep as 27 metres here and you can see the width and diameter, so you can see this is a building that cannot collapse.”
He assured that his administration would not be deterred by the challenges ahead in its drive to deliver the project.
“There are challenges ahead before the project is completed, no doubt, but the important thing is that it has moved from a dream to a plan and from a plan to reality. The race to the finish it is quite challenging, but we are not looking back. And as we work pile after pile, track after track, beam of steel after beam of steel, you can be sure we will deliver the project,” he assured.
The Governor said the area has suffered buildings’ collapse in the past. This according to him, created an opportunity for his administration to renew the area and put solid residential structures in place.
Some of the developments in the area in the past, he said, were done during the “developers’ era,” when foundations came up in the night and five years later the building would collapse.
He said the place would be a residential home for all of the families who own small pieces of land in the vicinity. “Each of them now has an apartment here instead of the small piece that cannot contain a house. We have helped them to merge into this very big space so their lands are now in the vertical space,” he said.
“We have relocated them to Ipaja so that after the completion of this project those who want to return can do so, but those who do not want to return can let theirs out. But each family that owns land here has already been resettled. These are some of the resettlement schemes that we do that we do not make too much noise about; but the beneficiaries know it and they understand it.”
