Sanwo-Olu Says Africa’ s Largest Food Hub, Psychiatric Hospital In Epe, Ready Next Year

By BENJAMIN OMOIKE

LAGOS, Nigeria – Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday, said the Lagos Central Food Security Systems,  Logistics Park and the 500 Bed Psychiatric Hospital, said to be the largest on the African continent being built in Epe area of the state, will be completed by next year.

Sanwo-Olu who stated this when he paid a working visit to the projects said the Lagos Central Food Security Systems, Logistics Park will be ready in the second quarter of 2025 while the Psychiatric Hospital will be ready by the fourth quarter next year.

On the food hub, he explained that “it was envisioned five years ago where we said the minimum we can do even if we are not an agro producing state is to have our destiny in our hands. Covid that happened in 2020 thought us a lesson because it was during that time we saw a global disruption chain of logistics of food. You remember at that time if you don’t have anything  in your house, you continue  to pray to God.

‘’Even after we saw global disruption and that is when we came up with a plan that Lagos should  be a very large scale food logistic hub to protect itself from food insecurity. We did mention at that time that food is security and it is becoming as important and even a normal threat to life’s security. We can see that indeed that move that we made three years ago is on the right course.

‘’The largest food logistics hub in the whole sub- Saharan Africa is here. It is on over 230 hectares of land, about five thousand square metres.  It is going to be the largest biggest cold and dry chain storage.”

Dwelling on the 500-bed facility Psychiatric Hospital he said the facility will help to promote mental healthcare delivery in the country.

He said, ”The Psychiatric hospital is the first of its type, it is a Lagos State Mental Health Institute, psychiatric rehabilitation centre Ketu Ejinrin. It just borders the food and logistics hub but this would be the largest psychiatric rehabilitation centre in the entire sub Saharan  Africa. Phase one of it is the 500 bed health facility. You can see that all of the structures  of phase one are out which will include  the 500 bed accommodation in different sizes, it will include consultation rooms, dormitories and dining room, kitchen, residence for health facility workers.

”It is a massive health institute sitting on about 25 hectares of land. We believe this kind of health institute  is equally  important. We have seen enough health challenges in mental health issues and we need to make a classic case and we need to make it first class, they come in for psychotherapy Psycho rehabilitation and get well in a serene environment.

“Phase two of it will be additional accommodation for patients who need services here and who need rehabilitation  centres.

”We are targeting by this time next year to also complete this project. This project is about 50 percent done and we believe in the next 12 months we can bring it to completion. I am impressed with the level of work that the contractor has put into it. They are all bungalows and this is because of the kind of institute that it is.”