Doubts Trail Proposed Relocation of $1trn Computer Village

Stakeholders in  the Computer Village market have expressed doubts over the planned relocation of the market from Ikeja, the capital of Lagos State, to Kantagwa market in Abule Egba.

This is coming as the Lagos State government recently revisited the issue with a promise to set to work soonest on it.

It will be recalled that talks on the movement of the market began under the administration of  former governor of the state, Babatunde Fashola, with N500 million already mapped out for the project, which was not implemented.

However, the present administration has said that there was no going back on the project as plans were already afoot to   convert the new site to a   world-class ICT Park.

Some traders in the market however told Market Place that they don’t see the relocation project becoming realisable.

An impecable source who wouldn’t want his name in print said that some forces in the market who were not in support of the move  had  been obstructing the project  through settlement and dialogue with government.

He said ”I don’t see it coming, let government be saying its own, that is how they will be saying it from now till tomorrow but l don’t want to assure you that it will be executed. There are so many rich individuals in the market who  have been pressing button to influence government decision to see that the plan does not see light.

“Can’t you see that since they have been mentioning it, it has not gone beyond the announcement, this one that they are revisiting it again, I’m sure some people in the market will by now be planning to meet with the authority”.

When asked if he was ready to relocate, he said soberly, “let God’s will be done.Anywhere they see, they should take us”

However, when the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Wasiu Anifowoshe met with the representative of Computer and Allied Product Dealers of Nigeria, CAPDAN, on Thursday, he hinted that the planned project was for the future as there were no immediate considerations to move the market now.

Earlier, CAPDAN had expressed anger for   not being carried along in the relocation deal which it warned could be detrimental to the overall motive.

The National President of CAPDAN, Ahmed Ojikutu who was neither in support nor against the movement urged the state government not to exempt the body from the relocation process at any stage.

He said “if the government fail to carry us along, the expected impact of the exercise may not be felt.There are many shops in Allen Avenue which is  full of activties. If the market eventually takes off in the new site without carrying our members along, most of the traders and engineers will secure a space in Allen Avenue and continue with their business, the implications of which the new site will be begging for attention.”