Ambode’s new site for mile 12 market not ready two years after promise

by Opeoluwa Quadri

“So, our new commodities market would take off from here and so I like to give the Ministry of Physical Planning the directive to commence activities here within the next one week. We believe that if we start within the next seven days, within the next six months, Mile 12 Market will be a thing of the past……We are committed to doing this. We know it is in the interest of all Lagosians that we relocate Mile 12 Market. The marketers themselves have agreed; the onus is now on us to ensure that we deliver this new market within the next six months”

Gov Ambode said this on Tuesday, 12^th of April, 2016, on an inspection of the Imota site which is the proposed site for the relocation of the Mile 12 Market. Yet two years after the Imota site is yet to be completed.

Imota is located at the outskirt of Ikorodu. Work is still ongoing on the site, What seems like completed structures on the site are few stores, it does not seem like half of the 35 hectares set aside for the new market has been used.

The governor has not given any explanation on why a project that is meant to be completed in six months is taken more than two years to complete. And even now, there is no end in site.