Governor Adams Oshiomhole (2nd right) unveils the plaque at the foundation-laying ceremony of an ultra-modern Shopping Mall in Benin City, with him (right) is Mr Olumide Akinsanya, MD Median Development; Hon Frank Evbuomwan, Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development (left) and Mr Holden Marshall, MD Resilient Africa.
The Governor of Edo State, comrade Adams Oshiomhole laid the
foundation stone for a N7.4 billion ($45 million) ultra-modern Shopping
Mall (Shoprite) in Benin City yesterday 13th November 2013, with the
assurance that government will continue to create a conducive atmosphere
for businesses to thrive in the State. The site of the shopping mall is
at Dumez/Sapele Road, where there used to be a primary school that was
relocated because of excessive flooding.
While briefing the newsmen, the governor said:“our investment in urban renewal and our investment in other infrastructure by way of road expansion and building new ones in both urban and rural areas, the provision of electricity, procurement of transformers, building health centres and all of the other things we have been doing is to make Edo State so attractive not only for the people here also to attract those who are not here. I like to recall that six years ago, during my campaign in 2007, anytime I was coming from Lagos to Benin, there was only one old aircraft with about fifteen or twenty passengers seat, house rent in Benin was very low, many houses were abandoned. This is to make the point that as we speak today, we have two or three airlines that now fly to Benin
Edo people are moving in and out of Edo doing businesses. There is no better way to measure the progress of a community, a neighbourhood and a state. We have also witnessed the construction of several new hotels; you hardly find spaces in those hotels which means more people are coming to Benin to do businesses.
Today we are witnessing the ground breaking ceremony of a facility that would be the very first modern shopping mall anywhere in Edo State under a group that has built a reputation for itself that is popularly known and referred to as Shoprite.
Without mincing words, the governor pointed out one of the benefit
of having the shopping mall in the state and assured the people that the
company will resolve problem most of them are facing. He said:
Today God in his infinite powers has used us, your stewards, to attract to Edo State a company that has international reputation to build a shopping mall. We agreed to allocate this government land to them, demolish whatever is left of the building, so that in its place we will have a modern facility that both the rich and the poor can patronize.
As a matter of necessity, the company in their design must deal with the problem of flooding so that their property can be secured. If they do not deal with the problem of flooding, the facility would not be accessible and when they deal with problem of flooding, the entire neighbourhood will now benefit”
The governor assured the company of the government full support. He said:
“Edo State government will give you all the support you need and I will
urge you to fast track the pace of construction so that I will have the
opportunity of commissioning the shopping mall”.
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