Ayodele Olalere
Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Saturday inspected the ongoing construction of what will become the largest food hub in Africa at Epe.
The governor who went on a working visit to Epe to see the level of work on some of the ongoing projects being carried out by the state government said the food hub tagged the Lagos State Food Security Systems and Central Logistics Hub located at Ketu-Ereyun, will be completed by the last quarter of 2025.
According to the governor, the construction of the hub started two and half years ago and is 50% completed.
Sitting on 220 hectares of land, Sanwo-Olu added that when completed the hub will ensure food sufficiency for Lagosians and stabilize market prices.
Sanwo-Olu expressed satisfaction at the pace of work at the food hub and assured Lagosians that other ongoing work of food hubs at Ajah, Festac and Oregun will soon be completed.
The Governor restated the commitment of his administration to mitigate food shortages and protect residents from food insecurity adding that the land on which the hub is situated is divided into four parts with space for a truck park, clinic, largest Abattoir in Africa among other facilities.
‘’Even after we saw global disruption and that is when we came up with a plan that Lagos should be a very large scale food logistic hub to protect itself from food insecurity. We did mention at that time that food is security and it is becoming as important and even a normal threat to life’s security. We can see that indeed that move that we made three years ago is on the right course.
‘’The largest food logistics hub in the whole sub- Saharan Africa is here. It is on over 230 hectares of land, about five thousand square metres. It is going to be the largest cold and dry chain store,” he said about the food hub.’
Sanwo-Olu also visited the ongoing construction of the Lagos State Mental Health Psychiatrist and Rehabilitation Centre located beside the food hub.
According to him, the 500 bed hospital sitting on 25 hectares of land will be the largest in sub-saharan Africa when completed.
He further said that the phase 1 of the psychiatric hospital which is 50% completed will also be finally ready by the last quarter of 2025 with facilities such as consultation rooms , dormitories, kitchen, residents for health workers among others.
” We believe this is important. We have seen enough of mental health issues. The Phase 2 will have additional accomodations for patients, ” the governor said.
During the working visit, the governor also spoke as the Guest of Honour at the Inaugural Isimi Lagos Festival at Isimi Lagos Wellness and Polo Country Estate, Epe.
The Governor said the project which serves as a relaxation centre was in tandem with the state government’s efforts at enhancing tourism development and growth in the state.
He commended the owners of the estate for putting up such a relaxation centre in the fast developing Epe, a suburb of Lagos State.