From: Moshood Adebayo
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has ordered the termination of a multi-billion naira 48-bedroom hotel project in Badagry, just as he blacklisted the company handling the project.
The project is currently being promoted as part of measures by the Ambode-led administration to boost tourism within the Badagry axis.
The contract for the multi-billion naira hospitality business project was awarded in 2013 to Messrs Anatolia International Limited.
A statement issued on by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, quoted the governor as saying that the decision to terminate the contract followed a resolution taken at the State Executive Council meeting which held, on Wednesday, after an appraisal of progress report on the project.
While lamenting that the pace of work so far on the project was not commensurate with the amount already released for the project, he also cited inefficiency and overall poor performance by the contractor as reasons for the contract termination.
“The inability of Messrs. Anatolia International Limited to key into the vision of the present administration, as part of the efforts to fast-track the development of its tourism sector, necessitated the decision of the State Executive Council to terminate the contract.”
He added that the current administration is resolved in its avowed mission to bring rapid infrastructural development to the state in a manner that gives zero-tolerance to insouciance and inefficiency.
However, he maintained that one of the major policy thrusts of the current administration is tourism and hospitality sector development, adding the government had left no one in doubt about its resolve to grow the state’s economy and empower the youths through several alternative means including tactical promotion of tourism, entertainment and sports.