Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Office of Urban Development, in partnership with Lagos Island Local Council Development Area (LCDA), on Thursday, laid the foundation for the construction of an ultra-modern shopping mall at the site of the demolished iron rod market, Pelewura, Adeniji Adele, Lagos Island.

At the groundbreaking ceremony of the mall, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Urban Development, Dr. Olajide Abiodun, said the construction of the mall will bring life back to Lagos Island.

“One of the things we take as priority is to ensure every part of Lagos meets the standard of the 20th-century city, that’s why we are constructing a mall here. We have named it Lagos Island Iron Mall because the land was formerly occupied by iron sellers.

“So building a mall is to ensure people in Lagos Island have standard cinemas, big supermarkets and other amenities. The project is between the Lagos Island Local Council Development Area and the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development. We are bringing life back to this neighbourhood,” Olajide said.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, said the regeneration of the Pelewura iron market is part of the model plan for Lagos Island.

“We just concluded a model plan of Lagos Island, which calls for total regeneration. So, the mall is part of the plan. The ministry is to ensure the mall is built according to the standard. We already have plans on how to redevelop Lagos Island and soon we will have a stakeholders meeting. We will give all the support for the project to be completed,” he said.

The Chairman of the Lagos Island Local Council Development Area, Folawiyo Alade, stated that the mall will revive the glory of Lagos Island.

“We are bringing back the glory of Lagos Island. The construction duration is expected to be within a year. We chose the location for the mail because it’s beside the expressway coming from the Third Mainland Bridge and also on the road to the palace of Oba Akiolu.”

Other personalities at the ceremony were Chairman of the Lagos Chapter of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW, Adekunle Sego, Architect Gbolahan Oki, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development Lagos and an All Progressives Congress (APC) leader, Fuad Oki.