Africa’s Largest Food Hub, Psychiatric Hospital Ready Next Year – Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday said the Lagos Central Food Security Systems, Logistics Park and the 500-bed psychiatric hospital, described as the largest in the African continent being built in the Epe area of the state, would be completed 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 would be ready in the second quarter of 2025 while the Psychiatric Hospital would be ready by the fourth quarter of 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 5,000 square metres. It is going to be the largest, biggest cold and dry chain storage.”

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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 and 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 that by this time next year, the project will have been completed. This project is about 50 percent done and we believe that in the next 12 months, we can bring it to a 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.’’