Hot Source•Says abandoned, rotten 62-year-old glorious edifice was ‘affront to our pride’
•Vows to turn liabilities into engines of growth
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has unveiled the reconstructed Hotel Presidential, Enugu, established by the administration of former Premier of the defunct Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Okpara.
Mbah described the revival of the 62-year-old edifice as “a homecoming for history”.
The governor, who performed the unveiling in Enugu on Thursday, extolled the foresightedness of the former premier. He regretted that the monument of pride had rotted away for the past 15 years, and explained 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.
An elated Mbah said, “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 per cent poverty headcount rate.”
Mbah assured 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”.
He stated, “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 governor added, “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 thanked the managers and concessionaire of the reconstructed hotel, Amber Hospitality, for believing in Enugu’s potential, saying, “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 for Works and Infrastructure and their Culture and Tourism counterparts for working to realise the project.
In her address, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dame Ugochi Madueke, while extoling Mbah’s leadership, said, “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.”
Former Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Sunday Onyebuchi, commended the governor for his speed in not only building new things, but also reviving dead assets.
“Your mantra says that tomorrow is here, but you have resurrected yesterday today,” Onyebuchi said.
Chairman, Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, HRH Igwe Samuel Asadu, praised the governor’s work rate, having commissioned Enugu Air, five transport terminals, 100 CNG buses, the reconstructed Hotel Presidential in succession under one month.
Asadu stated, “If you are not tired of commissioning projects, we will not be tired of coming out. We have never seen it this way. Your leadership in Enugu State is legendary and monumental. There is no vacancy in Lion Building in 2027.”
Chairman of Enugu North Local Government Area, Dr. Ibenaku Onoh, acclaimed the governor’s transformative leadership, assuring him of the people’s continued support.
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