As plans for the commencement of operations at the Lekki Deep Seaport gather momentum, residents have expressed fears over what will become of the area when the port becomes fully operational.
This is even as the Federal Government has provided sovereign guarantees totalling $3.306 billion and N2.72 trillion for infrastructure projects currently going on across the country, including the Lekki Deep Seaport project.
Already, some Baale (community chiefs/leaders) and rich individuals within and around the port areas have started relocating from that axis.
Vanguard investigations revealed that some of the Baale that got handsome cash compensation for lands acquired have also relocated, leaving their subjects and less-privileged behind.
A visit to the port by our correspondent showed the port is about 98 per cent completed and test run of the facility has also commenced.
Speaking to Vanguard on the development, Mr Olawale Domingo, a resident in Akodo, a community within the port area, confirmed the relocation of some Baale, adding that payments they got from promoters of the port facilitated their movement to more comfortable areas within the Lekki Peninsula.
Domingo also disclosed that siting the port in the area had led to a sharp increase in values of lands and properties in the axis.
He said: “Apart from the port that took a sizeable chunk of the lands from communities, some big conglomerates have acquired lands from within the port areas as well.
“Most of the Baales have relocated; they only come around when there are community issues to be discussed. Some of them now live in better areas of Lekki.”
He explained that though the port had not started operations, residents were already experiencing the movement of heavy duty vehicles, thereby compounding the already bad traffic situation along the roads.
