The Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area Adminstration led by the Executive Chairman, Com.  Kamal Olawale Salau-Bashua has inaugurated an iconic heritage Building project named ‘Lagos City Centre’ on Tapa/Saint Saviours Streets on the island, Wednesday, 2nd December 2020 amid encomiums.

The Old Structure was initially housing a foremost Handicraft and Training Centre set up in the sixties to train and equip young male primary school Pupils in basic class on the island.

In his Speech, Salau-Bashua reteirated his commitment to citizen empowerment, social intervention and Infrastructural development.

He said ” the role of government is not limited to Citizen empowerment and poverty alleviation  but also has specific responsibility to delivering enduring legacies to the good people of Lagos Island East Council”.

“It is pertinent to note that at the inception  of this administration, we quickly identified two core challenges on the island; insecurity and environmental degradation. To tackle the issue of insecurity, the first thing is to get our youths engaged productively at our skills acquisition centres”. He continued.

He listed the numerous road networks his administration had constructed since he took mantle of Leadership.

He stated that it will be counterproductive to erect structures in an environment where there are no good drainage systems.

“The Lagos City Centre is an historical heritage because mostly all male pupils on the island passed through the skill acquisition centre. It is multifaceted and dimensional edifice”, He emphasised.

During an interview session with Citizen NewsNG, Salau-Bashua said “We will not relent on our efforts to deliver top rated and qualitative governance to the residents of Lagos Island East LCDA”.

Salau-Bashua made it known to Citizen NewsNG that a Concession Plan has been put in place to maintain and sustain the standard of the Centre. He also stated that the project was funded without loan facility.

A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Lagos Island Constituency 2, Hon. Lanre Affinni said the project is quite commendable.

He outlined the benefits of the skill acquisition and Information Technology Communications centres to include but not limited to Youth engagement and empowerment, knowledge transfer and cross Fertilization of creative ideas, self development and actualization. He also urged the youths to be Job Providers, not Job seekers.

“It serves as means of diversifying the economy considering its economic potentials to the council, state and the country in general”, Affini explained.

Affini however reassured his constituents of qualitative representation at the state house of Assembly not just in words but actions.

The Building comprises of an Information Technology and Communications (ITC) Training Centre equipped with over one hundred and fifty Laptops and Internet facility, Vocational Training and Skill Acquisition Institute, Study Area, fully Air condition Events  centres , Swimming pool and Fountain strategically  constructed in the premises  with an  aesthetic landscapes and modern  architectural designs and a standby Automatic Power Generating Set.

A former Minister of Defence Chief Demola Seriki  eulogised Salau-Bashua’s approach to governance. He however said that though the project was well conceived but called for the renaming of the building to reflect an all-inclusive ownership. He also commended the council chair’s ingenuity and creativity regardless of the demanding tasks of governance.

Before the commissioning of the project, the Oba of Lagos, His Royal Highness Oba Rilwan Akiolu embarked on assessment tour of the Iconic Building. The Monarch praised the council chairman for the well conceived project and other major achievements his administration had done in the past.

While performing the tape cutting ceremony, Akiolu said “this is a laudable project and it is highly commendable”. He however urged the council chairman not to relent in his efforts to impact positively on the locals.

The Project Building Engineer, Eng. Bosun Onalaja, a Civil and Structural Engineer narrated the rebirth of the once abandoned Skill Acquisition and Training Centre. He said “One day, while I was passing by along Tapa street where the centre was located, I felt unhappy on sighting the abandoned and dilapidating structure where I was once a Pupil. ” I felt within me that an urgent action must be taken to restore the glory and usefulness of the skill acquisition centre”.

He further stated that, he decided to write a Proposal on the need to rebuild the Handicraft centre to a global standard so as to serve as a reference point in the country.

While Speaking with Citizen NewsNG, A Resident of Lagos Island simply identified as Olushina recalled his days as a primary school pupil who attended the old Skills Training Centre. He said “I could remember vividly those memorable days  that I and my friends would trek from the Popo Aguda Quarters to Sura, Tapa on Fridays to attend Skill Training, I was actually in Metal Workshop then. Through the quality of training I got,  I developed uncommon passion for metal and iron works construction; A Job I mastered till date to feed myself and family”.

From an Independent survey conducted by Citizen NewsNG, the Old Skills Acquisition and Training Centre, “Centre” has produced prominent Lagosians; among those people are the present Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Mayor of Lagos Island East LCDA, Com. Kamal Olawale Salau-Bashua, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, Chief Femi Okunnu, Chief Demola Seriki and a host of others who have excelled and distinguished themselves in character, career and other facets of life.

By Olabode Adeyeri

@CitizenNewsNG