As the government continues to unveil series of plans towards achieving the new Lekki-Epe Master Plan, Engr. Femi Akintunde, Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria’s leading Facilities Management Company, Alpha Mead Facilities & Management Services Limited, has charged stakeholders to give adequate attention to the provision and maintenance of critical infrastructure.
Engr. Akintunde was speaking on the topic: “Infrastructure Facilities Management: A Critical Factor in achieving sustainable Real Estate Development along Lekki-Epe Axis” during the Lekki-Epe Real Estate and Business Conference.
He noted that although the new master plan for the axis is still on course, adequate attention must be given to providing and maintaining infrastructure through a robust Facilities Management framework.
Drawing from the 1992 report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, Akintunde noted that for the new Lekki Master plan to be truly sustainable, it must be economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally responsible.
Akintunde also expressed disappointment on the dearth of amenities on the Lekki-Epe axis, a situation he said was caused party due to the fact that some amenities in the axis was being damaged by residents in the area.
The Chief Executive of AMFacilities further explained that for the axis to be economically profitable for investors, the infrastructure challenges in the area must be tackled. He listed some of the challenges to include, construction of inner road networks, a good drainage system to prevent flooding, light rail, solid waste management system amongst others.
He said: “For now, the only access route into this axis is the Lekki-Epe expressway. The construction of this road has added so much value to the rapid development of this axis but for it to continue, the infrastructure gap must be quickly bridged. The amount of traffic passing through the road daily is making it wear out faster than its estimated life span. Also, one would expect that traffic would reduce, but it is on the increase. In fact, a recent report is suggesting that business owners are now beginning to consider locating their offices on Lagos Island to avoid the traffic gridlock on Victoria Island”.
While advising the government on the need for structures to be put in place in the axis in order to attract more investments, Engineer Akintunde further recommended that the relevant authorities must quickly recognize that the axis is developing faster than anticipated in the master plan.
Mr Stephen Ola Jagun, Chairman, Lagos State branch of the National Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), also spoke on the importance of the real sector in nation building. He added that improved investment by more private bodies in the real market would boost tourism in Nigeria.
Tayo Babalakin, President, Association of Consulting Architects, Nigeria, in his presentation on ‘Building Everlasting and World Class Structures’, said the intention was to identify stakeholders, their roles and responsibilities and the processes of developing world-class structures.
AMFacilities is Nigeria’s first Facilities Management Company to be awarded the ISO 9001:2008 certification by UKAS and ANAB in the U.K and U.S respectively. The company manages high profile clients such The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Shell, Total E&P, UACN, Nokia Siemens, Ericsson, The Nigerian Stock Exchange, Twinlakes Estate, Ado Bayero Mall Kano, Primrose Properties Limited, among others.
Photo Caption:
Pix-1. Engr. Femi Akintunde, MD/CEO Alpha Mead Facilities & Management Services Ltd. and Mr. Stephen Jagun, Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV (Lagos State Branch) at the Lekki-Epe Real Estate Conference, where Engr. Akintunde delivered a paper on “Infrastructure Facilities Management: A Critical Factor for Sustainable Real Estate Development”.
Pix-2. Engr. Femi Akintunde, MD/CEO Alpha Mead Facilities & Management Services Ltd, Mr. Stephen Jagun, Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV (Lagos State Branch) and Mr. Rogba Orimolade, Principal Partner, Orimolade & Co. at the Lekki-Epe Real Estate Conference where Engr. Akintunde delivered a paper on “Infrastructure Facilities Management: A Critical Factor for Sustainable Real Estate Development”.
