The relocation campaign of the Computer Village has been launched by the Coalition of Association in Computer Village (CACOVI), which will have them move to the N40 billion Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Business Park at Gatangowa, Lagos.
According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the ceremony which kicked off on Wednesday was in partnership with Sterling Alternative Finance, Bridgeways, and the Lagos State government.
The President, CACOVI, Mr Timi Famoroti, said that the inauguration was to create awareness of the reality of the relocation of Computer Village to the new ICT Business Park.
He added that CACOVI members had agreed to move to a more conducive environment free of any intimidation, harassment and aggression.
According to him, “we deserve an international market such as the ICT park which will give members the opportunity to own their shops.
“To the members, it is an investment and an opportunity to fly.This project happening now is not without challenges but as leaders, we are determined to give our members a very conducive environment for business.’’
Also speaking at the event, Mr Ifeanyi Akubue, President, Phone and Allied Products Dealers Association (PAPDA), said that members were ready to relocate but the financial muscle was the challenge.
Akubue said that the Association’s leadership had decided that a bank be brought in for members to be able to have access to funds to finance their relocation.
He said that there was a need for members to work with the leaders of Computer village so as to have access to fund from the bank which would run for seven years.
According to him, the association has taken into consideration all the needs before agreeing to the relocation especially with the state government’s support.
“We are convinced that Lagos state is supporting the project and we have been to the project site.
“We told our members that plans are underway to carry everyone along and there is an opportunity for everybody to get involved even with as low as N1 million.
In his remarks, President, Association of Mobile Communications Device Technicians (AMCODET), Kehinde Apara, said that the technician were the live stream of the ICT Business Park and, as such, eager to be a part.
Apara said that the event was an assurance of the reality of the project after so many years of speculation.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer, Bridgeways Global Project Limited, Mr Jimmy Onyemenam, said that the relocation of Computer Village had been on for several years.
Onyemenam said that the event was to create more awareness of the reality of the relocation of the Computer village.
He added that there was a need for the launch because, since the construction started, the associations at Computer village and businesses were not officially informed that works had started on the site.
“Also the main reason for the launch is to create further awareness and create further insight that it is affordable because of Sterling bank’s alternative finance is providing funding for those who cannot afford it.
“The bank is ready to provide funding for the traders to pay back within seven years; it is more or less like a lease to own shop,’’ he said.
Note that the Lagos State Government has set aside 15 hectares expanse of land located at the Agbado Oke-Odo CDA in Alimosho for the project.
