Nigeria: Celebration in Enugu As Gov Mbah Unveils Reconstructed Hotel Presidential

… Extols Dr. Okpara’s Vision

Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has unveiled the reconstructed Hotel Presidential established by the administration of former premier of the defunct Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Okpara, describing the revival of the 62-year old edifice as “a homecoming for history.”

Mbah, who performed the unveiling in Enugu on Thursday, extolled the foresightedness of the former premier, regretted that the monument of pride had rotted away for the past 15 years, explaining that Hotel Presidential’s revival was in line with his campaign promise to recover Enugu’s moribund assets and also grow the state’s economy sevenfold.

“Sixty-two years ago, our forebears under the visionary leadership of Dr. Michael Okpara built this landmark as a symbol of Eastern Region’s resilience, elegance and enterprise.

“Over the decades, time and neglect dimmed that light. For about 15 years, this glorious edifice stood as an affront to our pride, as something contrary to what we represent.

“We came into office with a strong pledge: to recover what belongs to our people, convert dormant assets into productive assets; turn liabilities into engines of growth.

“That is why this unveiling is more than opening the doors of a hotel; it is the reopening of Enugu’s confidence. It is a tangible sign that when we say Enugu is open for business, we mean business.

“This hotel is a strategic enabler of our growth plan, comprising the ambitious target to grow Enugu’s economy seven-fold to at least $30 billion and to achieve a zero percent poverty headcount rate,” he said.

He assued that the standards for the hotel’s revamp were truly world-class, because the administration “insisted on this so that when Enugu says ‘welcome’ to its investors, our hospitality infrastructure speaks with the same credibility as our policies.”

“Our hospitality ecosystem today is simply inspiring: the 5,000-seat International Conference Centre (ICC) now anchors Enugu’s conferencing ambitions; the adjacent 5-star, 345-room ICC Hotel under construction will deliver premium “keys” for large events; Enugu Air, which has given wings to our dreams and announced the scale of our vision to the world; And now, the renewed Hotel Presidential adds a full-service icon back into the mix.

“None of this is a whimsical project; they are connecting dots on a large canvas. These assets are crucial to our aim to welcome up to three million annual tourist visits and to make Enugu the Conferencing Capital of Africa.

“The economic value is already visible. This hotel alone supports hundreds of direct jobs, culinary and events teams, engineering, landscaping, suppliers, and several other opportunities.

“Every conference day books our taxis and CNG buses; every visiting family discovers our art, our music, our cuisine, and our warmth.

“And the signal to investors is even bigger: when government shows it can recover assets, fix the fundamentals, and protect investments, private capital follows. That is why you see momentum across other moribund assets like UPPL, Sunrise Flour Mill, Nigergas; International Conference Centre, and a host of others,” he added.

He thanked the managers and concessionaire of the reconstructed hotel, Amber Hospitality, for believing in Enugu’s potential, noting that “they bring on board an enviable pedigree, earned through the efficient management of about 12 successful brands in the hospitality sector.”

He equally commended the contractors – Dilworth – for their attention to detail as well as the successive Commissioners of Works and Infrastructure and their Culture and Tourism counterpart for working to realise the project.

In her address, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dame Ugochi Madueke, while extoling Mbah’s leadership, said that “the silence has been broken; the lights are on — never to dim again; the doors are open — never to shut again; and the spirit of Enugu is back, stronger and brighter than ever.”