Eko Atlantic Celebrates Reclamation of 5,000,000 Square Metres of Land from the Sea

AsiaNet 52193

LAGOS, Nigeria, Feb. 23, 2013 /PRN=KYODO JBN/ --

      His Excellency the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,

      Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, applauds a 'noble initiative' and

         gives the project the full support of the his Government

     Eko Atlantic, the visionary new city for Lagos, Nigeria drew high-level

presidential praise from both the Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan and the

former President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton during a

dedication ceremony to mark a milestone event.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130222/595491-a )

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130222/595491-b )

     Describing the development of Eko Atlantic as an outstanding initiative

President Jonathan said, 'This landmark event is continuing the good news

narrative that Nigeria must now embrace permanently. You cannot be hearing only

ugly stories. Eko Atlantic City is bringing us happiness and this happiness has

come to stay.'

     Eko Atlantic land reclamation started in February 2008 with a 7-year

dredging operation planned to create 8,000 square metres of new land every day.

     A year after reclamation work began the Chagoury Group, the developers and

planners of Eko Atlantic, based in Lagos, Nigeria, committed at the Clinton

Global Initiative in New York to protect Victoria Island from coastal erosion

through the forces of the Atlantic Ocean.

     Since making their commitment the developers have built a sea revetment

known as The Great Wall of Lagos that now stands at three and a half

kilometres. Half the land needed to build the new city has been recovered from

the ocean.

     'They have reclaimed five million square metres of land from the sea. They

have built the beginnings of this amazing wall. They have kept their commitment

and it will help to diversify the economy of Nigeria, to brand Lagos all over

the world and to create an enormous number of opportunities. I am convinced

that within five years people will be coming from everywhere just to look at

the wall.'

     The Great Wall has brought back the coastline of Victoria Island to where

it was a century ago before coastal erosion began to wash it away.

     'This is an ingenious engineering feat,' said President Clinton, This is

something I am telling you there will be countless numbers of people coming

here to study. It is something you can be very proud of.'

     The Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola hosted the dedication

ceremony close to the massive sea revetment that protects the five million

square metres of land. 'When all is done, a new city will emerge here from what

was once a devastated area as a result of nature's onslaught, said Governor

Fashola. 'But that devastation is now history. Our ultimate triumph beckons,'

he said, 'the human spirit will prevail because of the goodwill of a few good

men.'

     The dedication ceremony was attended by high-ranking Nigerian Federal and

State officials as well as international developers, financial institutions and

the diplomatic corps.

     In his address, the Executive Chairman of Eko Atlantic, Mr. Ronald

Chagoury, said, "Nigeria is a great nation. Building a city of this calibre can

only be achieved by putting our hands together. Today we are at a turning point

where the real construction of the city has started." And he added, "Today

Lagos is the economic capital of Nigeria. We pray by your blessing Mr.

President, to become the economic and financial centre of Africa in the near

future".

     The construction of infrastructure for Eko Atlantic, such as roads,

drainage and sewage systems has also started as has foundation work for Eko

Atlantic's first commercial tower block.  An international developer, Satellite

Oil and Gas from Nigeria, has started to build Eko Energy Estate and numerous

other projects are in the pipeline.

     Upon completion, the developers and city planners of the new city will

have produced 10,000,000 square metres of land, ripe for development:

equivalent in size to the skyscraper district of Manhattan in New York City.

     Eko Atlantic is designed to provide the space and infrastructure to house

250,000 people and become the workplace for a further 150,000.

    CONTACT: info@ekoatlantic.com

             +234-1-8449900

             Facebook.com/EkoAtlantic

             http://www.ekoatlantic.com

     SOURCE: South Energyx Nigeria Limited