Council denies firms claims on Alade market

Tajudeen AdebanjoTHE Ikeja Local Government has described as untrue the claim by Masters Realities International Concepts that it owned the concessionaire. Director of Masters Realities International Concepts Group, Omotola Lai, had alleged that the local government authority failed to make money available for periodic maintenance of the temporary site of Alade market.Lai said: Out of N71 million owed us between 2017 to date, our company has only received N9 million. But the council Chairman, Dr Mojeed Balogun, described the claims as unfounded.According to him, the N9 million agreed by the parties on the temporary site has been paid.Council denies firms claims on Alade market Balogun wondered how the concessionaire came about N71 million.According to him, since the relocation of the traders to the temporary site in 2016, the concessionaire has been foot-dragging on the re-building of the main Alade market.Mind you, the contract for the project was signed in 2010. The traders were moved to the temporary site in 2016. Since then, nothing concrete has been done on the rebuilding of the main market. The firm only informed us last month that he wanted to commence building of the main market and we told him that we need to revisit the project.The concept he sent to us was different from the one that was agreed upon in 2010. The exco met and we wrote him on the need to review the project.Afterwards, we saw a video by the concessionaire advertising the sales of the shops that are yet to be built. The firm did not inform the council. You cannot ask people to start paying for a project we are yet to agree on the modalities. We must be on the same page before you proceed, he said.Balogun warned traders not to pay any money to the firm. We have told the firm to stop collecting money from traders.Alade Market redevelopment has not started. People should know this. They should not pay any dime. We will release necessary information to the public when it is ripe to start paying, he said.
Click here to read full news..