Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has officially commissioned the recovered and reconstructed Ovom Road in Aba and performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction and completion of the long-abandoned Enyimba Hotel project, years after it was first conceived.
The Ovom Road, which had been ravaged for several years by devastating gully erosion, was reduced to a dangerous corridor, threatening homes, businesses and livelihoods and rendered the road virtually impassable before the intervention of the Otti administration.
Radisson Blu Enyimba hotel
Governor Otti not only reconstructed the Ovom road and adjoining streets but also undertook comprehensive erosion control measures to permanently arrest the environmental menace that had plagued the area.
Commissioning the project, Governor Otti said the completion of the Ovom road was in fulfillment off his campaign promises, noting that the adjoining roads were almost swallowed by the devastating gully erosion which has lasted for years.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, the Governor said that the reconstruction of the long-abandoned Enyimba Hotel, now Radisson Blu Enyimba International Hotel, signals the resurgence of Aba as a premier commercial hub in West Africa.
“This evening, the phoenix arises,, Abia is back. Enyimba is rising”, he declared.
Governor Otti said said that the project is a fulfilment of the 54-year-old vision first conceived in 1972 by the then Administrator of East Central State, Anthony Ukpabi Asika, who envisioned the hotel as a symbol of hope and economic revival in the aftermath of the civil war.
The Governor said the seven-storey uncompleted structure had, over the decades, come to symbolise stalled dreams but insisted that the present administration had resolved to rewrite that negative narrative.
According to the Governor, once his government commits to a project publicly, “it becomes inevitable that the project must be delivered and commissioned for public use and on time”.
Governor Otti revealed that the first phase of the development of the Radisson Blu Enyimba Hotel would deliver a 120-room five-star facility alongside a world class convention centre.
He added that Within four years, the project is projected to grow into a 250-room hospitality complex catering to local and international guests.
“We are projecting that over the next four years, this venture will grow to a 250-room five-star hotel catering to local and international guests and events”, Governor Otti said.
He explained that the delay in execution since the initial commitment in 2024 was due to the need to establish a robust operating agreement and prepare Aba’s ecosystem to sustain a top-tier hospitality brand and cited improvements in the state’s road infrastructure, sanitation, security and healthcare among others.
Governor Otti maintained that “nobody will willingly travel to destinations that are characterised by filth, poor road network, deficient social services and widespread insecurity”, adding that Aba has now emerged as one of the cleanest urban destinations in the country and among the most secure in the South East region.
“In the last 33 months, we have made strategic investments to bring the Aba business environment in good alignment with the demands of a five-star hotel ecosystem”, the Governor said.
He expressed confidence that the hotel would raise service standards across the hospitality industry, attract new investments and stimulate growth in connected sectors such as entertainment and events.
Governor Otti used the occasion to renew his call for improved tax compliance and urged residents to view taxes “as an investment in our individual businesses” necessary to sustain infrastructure and economic expansion.
In his remarks, the Senator representing Aba South Senatorial Zone, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, commended the transformative strides of Governor Otti, describing his intervention in the state as a timely rescue mission.
He stated that the people of Aba and Abia at large would remain eternally grateful for what he termed a bold and purposeful leadership that has restored hope and confidence in governance.
Speaking on behalf of the Aba business community, Chief Leo Okoye lauded the Governor for the remarkable progress in Aba and across the state, noting that within a remarkably short period, his administration has “rewritten the narrative of Abia”, rekindled economic activities and renewed investors’ confidence.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Board of the Greater Aba Development Authority, Ide John Udeagbala, commended the pace of infrastructural renewal under the present administration.
He highlighted the revival of key economic assets, including the Enyimba International Hotel, noting that its restoration would stimulate economic growth and generate thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities for the people.
The Senior Director Development Africa, Radisson Blu, Mr Erwan Garnier while noting that the project was a statement that Abia was ready for a greater investment, assured that they would deliver a global standard hotel and thanked the Governor for the partnership.
