Governor Alex Otti has again made history with the completion and commissioning of the reclaimed and reconstructed 42-metre-deep gully that stretched over 600 metres along Ovom Road, Aba.
The gully was said to be deep and wide enough to swallow an eight-storey building, but the governor completed the project in less than two years using rigid pavement technology and necessary control measures that have not only ended what could have been an interminable disaster but also forestalled a recurrence of such an environmental nightmare in the vicinity.
The Ovom gully was so terrifying that previous administrations abandoned it under the pretext of paucity of funds. However, the seemingly hopeless situation has now been permanently reversed, as residents and property owners rejoiced that properties they thought were lost have been recovered, along with adjoining streets and solid drainage systems.
Governor Otti also flagged off and performed the official groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction of the long-abandoned Enyimba Hotel project, to be known as Enyimba-Radisson Hotel, being executed in partnership with the global hospitality brand, Radisson Blu.
The governor noted that in the last 33 months, he made strategic investments to align the Aba business environment with the demands of a five-star hotel ecosystem. He assured that within the next year, his team would work with Radisson Blu to deliver the project as planned.
“Over the next 12 months, our teams shall work closely with the civil engineering partners to deliver a 120-room facility befitting of Aba’s rising stature as a major commercial and industrial destination in West Africa and beyond.
“Also to be delivered within the same period is a best-in-class convention centre to cater to the needs of businesses and public sector organisations seeking the perfect blend of novelty and class for their events,” Otti said.
He expressed hope that 18 months after opening for business, the facility would kick off the construction of another 130-room facility within the same vicinity to meet anticipated demand. He added that over the next four years, the venture would grow into a 250-room five-star hotel catering to local and international guests and events.
The governor paid tribute to past leaders who laid the foundation for the Enyimba Hotel, including the then Administrator of the East Central State, Ajie Ukpabi Asika; former Governor of old Imo State, Chief Sam Mbakwe; the Greater Aba Development Agency (GADA); and other individuals for their efforts towards realising the hotel project.
The Senator representing Abia South Senatorial District, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, referred to Governor Otti as “the painter,” a mock allusion to recent claims that the governor was merely painting already constructed roads. He, however, commended the governor for what he described as remarkable and transformative leadership across the state.
Speaking on behalf of the Radisson Blu hospitality brand, the Senior Director, Development – Africa, Mr Erwan Garnier, said the project is a clear statement that Abia is ready for partnership, assuring that a global-standard hotel would be delivered.
