PROPERTY NEWS

The era of artisans and tradesmen operating in street corners and unauthorised places in Lagos State will soon be over following moves by the government to resettle them in well organised locations that will not create nuisance to the environment and at the same time will enhance the businesses of the artisans.

Already, work is going on at three sites secured by the state government for the development of enterprise zones and industrial parks, which will provide decent and permanent commercial accommodation for artisans and tradesmen like furniture makers, metal fabricators and block moulders among others, who are currently operating on roadsides and other inappropriate locations.

The sites where the provision of infrastructure is currently ongoing are Ibeju Agbe in Ibeju-Lekki area, Otto Awori in Ijanikin and Gberigbe in Ikorodu, cutting across the three senatorial districts of the state.

The enterprise zone initiative, according to the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Prince Adeniyi Oyemade, is being promoted to aid the growth of the informal sector through the provision of land and other necessary infrastructure that will enhance the sector‘s productive capacity.

Towards this end, the ministry has secured 10 hectares of land for the development of each of the three zones and work is ongoing on the provision of the necessary infrastructure.

Oyemade said that the enterprise zones were expected to accommodate bout 500 micro and small scale enterprises with employment potential of over 10,000 people directly and indirectly.

Due to the inability of the five existing five industrial estates to provide accommodation for medium and large scale enterprises, the commissioner said that the government had embarked on the development of two new industrial parks at Imota in Ikorodu and Ilara/Igbonla in Epe.

He said that the parks were being designed to be agro-based in demonstration of the state government‘s interest and commitment to the development of agro-based industries.

The Imota park is located on 22 hectares of land, while the Ilara/Igbonla is sited on 100 hectares, with the two expected to accommodate about 300 medium and large scale enterprises and providing employment for not less than 15,000 people directly and indirectly when completed.

In order to address the problem of inadequate power supply and enhance the productive capacities of the enterprises, the commissioner said that the two parks as well as the enterprise zones would have their independent sources of power.

Oyemade said, "Another major factor militating against the growth of SMEs is financing. At present, where funds are available, they are not easily accessible, and where accessible, they are not affordable.

"To address this problem and find a lasting solution to SME financing in Lagos State, my ministry has entered into discussions with the Bank of Industry in this regard."

The commissioner disclosed that the ministry had completed the clearing and fencing of the site of the proposed ultra modern auto market at Mowo, Badagry in readiness for the development and provision of necessary infrastructural facilities by the appointed concessionaire.

The project, he noted, was conceived with the objective of providing an auto market with modern facilities that would easily be accessible and affordable to auto dealers in all parts of the state.

The development of the auto market, according to him, is to address the problem of environmental degradation currently associated with the various locations being used by auto dealers presently scattered all over the metropolis.

He said that applicants for concession had been earlier screened and that after necessary presentation to the state Executive Council, Messrs Lagos Auto City was selected as the concessionaire for the development of the market.