The Federal Government on Tuesday completed the final handing over of the Presidential Lodge, Marina to the Lagos State Government about 20 years after the journey to actualise it commenced.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony, held at the Conference Room of Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing in Abuja on Tuesday, Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode said the development was a testament of the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to bring positive change to Lagos.
Governor Ambode in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary Habib Aruna commended the President, Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola and staff of the Ministry; Permanent Secretary in the Office of Chief of Staff to the President, and other stakeholders who worked to ensure the final transfer of the asset to Lagos.
The Governor said: “We want to sincerely appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari who has approved that the Presidential Lodge be released to Lagos State and for the use of Lagos State which, just as said by the Minister, we have been trying to get for the last twenty years.
“We are pleased that on a day like this, it is my predecessor and present Minister of Works who is now doing the final handing over of which he had also been part of that process to get this asset back to Lagos but in God’s own doing, the Minister is in the position today to do the final documentation and we are very grateful for that.”
Governor Ambode expressed optimism that the development would be the beginning of the process to get such assets back to the State Government.
He said his administration would put the edifice to good use and transform it into a national monument to boost tourism and grow the economy of Lagos and Nigeria.
He said the signing of the document which formally vests ownership of the Presidential Lodge, Marina in the State Government, saying it was gratifying that the long journey spanning about two decades had finally come to an end.
Other Lagos State officials at the ceremony included the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tunji Bello; Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde and Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Engr Adebowale Akinsanya.
Governor Ambode during the handing over signed for the state government while the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, and former governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Fashola, signed on behalf of the Federal Government.
