Security, urban nuisance forcing US Consulate to Eko Atlantic City—Findings
Contrary to the claims by the United States Consul-General in Lagos, Mr. John Bray, that the establishment is moving from Victoria Island to Eko Atlantic City on grounds of affording Nigerians better and more accessible services, reactions of people within the current axis of the consulate on 2, Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island, suggest otherwise.
A number of people doing business along the crescent averred that key issues that might have been considered by the Embassy may include security, rising urban nuisance and the need to build a Consulate that is powered by technology than the current over 35 years structure it is occupying now. However, the current facility has not suffered any form attack in recent times.
Recall that Bray, had on Wednesday announced that the home government had secured about 1,000 hectares of land on the Eko Atlantic City on Ahmadu Bello Way after sealing the engagement agreement between the U.S. Government officials and the Executive Chairman of South EnergyX Nigeria, Mr. Roland Chagdury.
One of the service providers at the Consulate who opened up to Business Hilights in a telephone interview revealed that “For a long time, many workers at the Consulate had been decrying the rising volume of traffic noise coming from adjoining Ozumba Mbadiwe up till the Bonny Camp Bridge.”
“I think the essence of the relocation may not be unconnected with going to a more secured and serene environment that is capable of having a strong noise control mechanism better than the chaotic Island.
Continuing, the service provider noted that many other embassies and consulates that consider security very crucial like the US, may follow in no distant time.
Another factor that may have encouraged the US Government to take the bold step may include recent assurance by the Lagos State Government that the phase six of the Eko Atlantic City will be completed in October 2019.
The State Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Dr. Babatunde Adejare had disclosed at a ministerial press conference in Alausa, the flagship project designed to stand on 10 million square metres of land reclaimed from ocean had six phases of implementation.
According to him, “Phase one and two have already been completed with roads, portable water to World Health Organisation (WHO) standards, fibre optics and advanced telecommunication facilities and over 10,000 trees planted within the city in recognition of the Lagos State Government initiative to plant one million tress in the state. The new city emerging will change the aesthetic of the coastline and real estate market.”
Business Hilights recall that Eko Atlantic City had gotten its first occupant following the acquisition of Afren Tower by oil magnate and Chairman of Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, Dr. ABC Orjiako, in 2017.
Currently, there about two completed high-rise and more than five ongoing construction works plus several pilling works in parts of the emerging real estate investors’ heaven in Nigeria.
Delivery details garnered from the Eko Atlantic City officials revealed that the new development is designed to provide space and infrastructure to house 250,000 people with the projection of becoming the workplace for a further 150,000 in Lagos. Analysts say Eko Atlantic City remains the currently biggest ongoing civil engineering construction site in the continent.
