Following concerns raised on social media regarding the safety of the Lekki Conservative Centre, the Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday visited the facility to ascertain its safety as tourists’ destination.
The lawmakers said the purpose of the visit was to assess the situation and ongoing maintenance efforts at the center.
Chairman of the House Committee on Tourism, Art and Culture, Hon. Bonu Solomon who expressed his satisfaction with what he observed during the tour stated that their visit was prompted by a viral video on social media advising against visiting the center.
“I am highly impressed with what we saw. When we saw the video that went viral on social media, Mr. Speaker asked us to come and see the progress made on the maintenance,” Solomon said.
He further explained that they had also engaged with the Ministry of Tourism, saying their oversight function was necessary to ensure the safety of foreigners, Nigerians, and tourists visiting Lagos.
Regarding the reopening date of the Lekki Conservative Center, the lawmaker hinted that the management had set February 1, 2024, as the reopening date, explaining that the date has been postponed to allow the safety commission to confirm the safety of the premises.
The director general of the Lekki Conservative Center, Joseph Onoja, extended a warm welcome to the lawmakers and reiterated that the safety of tourists is their top priority.
He expressed disappointment that the video that went viral was an old video of a Nigerian comedian that was added to gain more viewers.
“We shut down every quarter for maintenance to ensure the safety of our tourists,” the Director General stated.
Speaking about the viral video, Onoja explained that it was published on December 21, 2023, while 1,000 people were celebrating Christmas at the center on December 16, 2023.
The director of the Safety Commission, Mr. Olatunde Ajose, informed the lawmakers that their presence was for a safety assessment, and to ascertain if any necessary changes would be implemented.