ExpdonaLoaded.blogspot.com (+2348097205188): Expdonaloaded News; Glimmer of hope for forgotten Enyimba Hotel

Wednesday, 22 July 2015

Expdonaloaded News; Glimmer of hope for forgotten Enyimba Hotel

Are you looking for a place where human beings struggle with rodents for accommodation? If so, travel to Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State and take a ride to the abandoned Enyimba Hotel located by the side of the Aba River, a few metres from the city’s main motor park. For those who may not know, Enyimba Hotel was built by the late Dr Sam Mbakwe administration over 30 years ago, the foundation stone haven been laid shortly before that of Concord Hotel, Owerri.
While Concord, a three-star hotel like Enyimba Hotel is still bubbling with activities year in year out, churning out revenue for the Imo State government, Enyimba Hotel is standing as a wasted edifice and free abode for policemen and rodents. Despite the fact that some policemen and members of their families reside inside the abandoned hotel, grasses and weeds have taken over the expansive compound housing the six-storey three-star hotel. Added to this development is that fact that relations of the policemen leaving inside the hotel have also converted the compound into car parks, kiosks and shops. To be precise, Enyimba Hotel’s foundation stone was laid by Dr Mbakwe in 1979 before the administration was booted out by the General Muhammadu Buhari-led military junta in 1983, and then the main building had been completed but without furniture and fittings. But this gigantic edifice that could have added to the aesthetics of the Enyimba City, as well as boost the internally generated revenue of the state has been lying fallow, and serving as a hideout for Indian hemp smokers before mobile policemen affected by inadequate accommodation illegally took over the premises. A visit to the expansive compound lying beside the waterside river showed that the adjoining buildings which appeared to be the staff quarters were yet to be completed, while its surroundings had been taken over by overgrown weeds and thick bushes. Speaking to Oriental News, a resident of an adjoining street to the hotel, Mr Azubuike Nweze, who claimed to have witnessed the foundation stone laying ceremony of the edifice, lamented that the hotel which he said would have been a major revenue earner for the government, as well as a source of employment and relaxation to the people of the city has been allowed to lie waste. While commending Mbakwe for his vision in siting industries and hotels across the old Imo State which now comprises Abia, Imo and the Afikpo bloc in Ebonyi State, he, however, expressed some reservations that Enyimba Hotel was abandoned in preference to the completion of Concord Hotel in Owerri. His words: “It is unfortunate that Enyimba Hotel has been abandoned by successive governments after being also abandoned by the Mbakwe administration in preference to the completion of the Concord Hotel in Owerri, Imo State. “It was built by Governor Sam Mbakwe, but it is regrettable succeeding administrations have not found it worthy to complete the hotel which would be a major revenue earner for the state. Look at the scenery situation beside the Ogbor Hill River, it can serve as a tourist centre attraction and you know what that means. Governor Sam Mbakwe’s vision of siting industries across the then old Imo State is commendable. He laid the foundation stone of Enyimba Hotel which was started before Concord Hotel in Owerri, but he completed Concord Hotel. The Abia State government should make haste to complete the abandoned hotel.” It was in the midst of the abandonment of such edifice that some policemen who were hit by accommodation problem converted the hotel to their quarters and due to the unkempt nature of the place, rodents also found some spaces in the hotel, co-habiting and finding the police as their good ‘friends’. However, this co-habitation has got an expiring date as the current government in Abia has given the ‘occupiers’ of the hotel quit notice. In a statement released in Umuahia, the government said it was giving those living in the hotel two weeks to quit or they would be forcefully evicted. The government’s action it was gathered was to re-acquire the hotel, rehabilitate and put it into proper use. Residents have applauded the government’s move, describing it as the right step in the right direction. They contended that since the hotel was among the projects to which the Mbakwe administration borrowed substantially to build and to which successive governments in the state laboured to pay back, that everything possible should be done to ensure that the hotel comes on stream for the state to recoup the money it spent in building it and then serve as a source of avenue for IGR for the state.