Lagos International Trade Fair Stakeholders Association (TFSF) members shortly after their end of 2024 business year meeting/party on December 19, 2024.
Following series of high-powered meetings of the Lagos Trade Fair Stakeholders Forum (TFSF) with officials of the Management Board, an understanding has been reached for stakeholders’ to reconstruct the only 5km service ring-main road in the complex with their money and resources.
This was revealed by the chairman of TFSF, Chief Eric Ilechukwu, during the 19th anniversary thanksgiving of the Association of Progressive Traders (APT), which he doubles as the President on Thursday.
Explaining further, he said “We the stakeholders have decided to take up the cost of reconstructing the service ring-road in the complex in other to ease our daily sufferings on the road.
“In doing this, we at TFSF agreed that every shop and business both individual and corporate in every respective associations in the complex, will make a little sacrifice in form of paying a levy that will be announced by different markets according to their contribution quota.
“I want assure all of you that the levy will not be much or tear anyone’s pocket, but it will help solve a problem permanently for us here in the market because we all are suffering it and we want to be the solution once and for all.
“We the stakeholders are also working on opening up more entry/exit gates in the complex to ease access and traffic at the existing two points of entry/exit.
“Stakeholders believe that we can do it and we are ready to do it for good of everyone. Just support TFSF to achieve good road delivery in the complex as soon as possible.
Business Hilights recalls that during the visit of Federal House of Representatives Committee on Commerce led by the chairman, Hon. Munir Ahmed, he promised on behalf of his committee that the cost of reconstructing the trade fair ring road will be captured in the 2025 budget
Whereas his promise was then greeted with applause from the listening stakeholders at ASPMDA President’s office in the presence of the ED/CEO of the complex, Barr. Vera Ndanusa, it was not clear if it was truly in the 2025 budget or it was, but the fund was not fortunately released during the 2025 budget year.
However, majority of the traders in the complex who spoke to our correspondent expressed disappointment on the side of the government and thanked the stakeholders for taking up the challenge even as they all assured their readiness to contribute their money in the reconstruction of the road.
Efforts to get the view of the ED/CEO of the complex as at the time of filing this report failed.
