MEMBERS of the Banana Island Property Owners and Residents Association, Lagos (BIPORAL) have called on the Federal Government to complete the development of their infrastructure.They spoke at the inauguration of the association's office at the weekend. The estate house, decorated with beautiful Suzuka Stones, has four offices and is located at the estate gate .Banana Island is a site and services scheme instituted by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing now known as Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and construction was by C & C Limited. There are several prime plots of land on the Island, measuring between 1000 and 4000 square metres that are highly priced.The estate, approximately 1,630,000 square metres in size lies within an artificial island that is built on reclaimed part of the Lagos Lagoon and is connected to the rest of Ikoyi through a strip of road.The Island is designed as a modern residential community complete with world class utilities, including underground electrical systems, an underground water supply network, a central sewage system and treatment plant, and street lighting and satellite telecommunications networks.The developers also intend to develop a main piazza, a club-house, a primary and secondary school, a fire and police station and a medical clinic. They are also negotiating to build a 5-star hotel on the island, along with an array of smaller Guest Houses.BIPORAL Chairman, Mr. Akinnola Akinyinka, said some of the facilities promised by the federal government have not been completed. He said some of the services on the island were built by residents p and praised Mr. Dele Belgore, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, for being a driving force in the establishment of the Association. He also praised other members of the executive committee for dedicating their time to the evolution and growth of the Association.Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Amal Pepple promised to attend to the infrastructural needs of the Island.The Minister, represented by a senior official of the Ministry, Mr. T. O. Onaeko said Banana Island was the most prominent project by the ministry. Onaeka, accompanied by an Assistant Director in the ministry, Mr. Ayankoya, an Engineer, said BIPORAL has been informally recognised by the ministry, saying they were impressed with the work the Association was doing to maintain the Island.He said the residents' initiative to have an estate office goes to show their desire to keep the island in good shape, adding that the ministry would do all that is necessary to assist the residents if it received formal requests.A representative of C & C, Mr. Roy Asaaf said it was a good thing that BIPORAL was on ground to provide a form of authority on the Island, explaining that the transition of management of the Island from the ministry to BIPORAL meant better future for the Island.Conducting a tour of the estate house, the manager, Mr. Odukoya Olusola, an estate surveyor and valuer, said the estate house has four offices, one of which is a cash office of First Bank Plc. It also has three ATM machines, explaining that the two machines located in front of the house would serve non-residents of the estate while the machine behind would be used by residents alone.
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