Opinion
Ebonyi Shopping Mall, a demonstration of Umahi’s excellence, By Mazi Demian Okafor
The mega city mall which was started in 2018 is unarguably the first and best of its kind in Nigeria. It has become the center of attraction with many notable investors in the world rushing to have a stand at the Mall.
To the amazement of many, the shopping mall which ordinarily should be a many years project has been completed, commissioned and is now functional. Among other benefits includes to boast the State economy, improve the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and as well create employment for many youths.
Governor David Nweze Umahi, through the completion of the biggest shopping mall in West Africa, modelled after the popular Dubai Mall, has made Ebonyi the economic hub and center of attraction in Nigeria.
Ebonyians now have another reason to continue to celebrate an impeachable leader who makes the political impossible possible.
•An aerial view of the mall
With the Abakaliki International Market in place, the ongoing International Airport, Industrial Parks, modern building materials market and now the best and biggest shopping mall in the State, Governor Umahi has written his name in gold. Because, with all these projects in place to improve the State economy and create employment for many graduates, Ebonyi State under Governor David Nweze Umahi is now the best among equals.
Speaking on the state’s infrastructural development, the Governor’s Special Assistant on Media and Strategy, Mr Chooks Oko said that Umahi has the track record of developing Ebonyi state by using scarce resources to change the state from ‘dust of the nation’ to the Dubai of Africa and will transform Nigeria if given the mandate by the APC and elected president in 2023.
He said: “All over the country, Ebonyi is fast becoming the most developed state, especially when compared with other states created in 1996 or before. The amazing thing is that the governor executed all the projects in the state with scarce resources available to the state, making him a construction czar and an infrastructure magician.
“Little wonder Governor Umahi is the most talked about and preferred amongst all the Southeast Governors as he has shown what he can do with little resources at his disposal. If Governor Umahi can transform Ebonyi with little resources, you can imagine what he will do if he were to be elected the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Oko added: “During the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Ebonyi State not long ago, he witnessed firsthand, the courageous projects that were either initiated or completed by the Governor, including the International Airport (named after the president himself), the New Government House, the King David Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu, with a cancer centre, a kidney transplant centre, liver transplant centre, heart transplant centre and above all, a dialyzer production factory, the only such in black Africa.
“There are flyovers constructed by the governor in different parts of the state to ease traffic. The St. Margaret Umahi International Market is one of the largest markets in West Africa, with super solid structures, and to the grateful traders and buyers, the Shopping Mall is aptly referred to as the Dubai of Africa while the New Executive Council Chambers, modelled after the United Nations meeting chambers, stands as one of the most beautiful meeting venues in the country.”
Indeed, Umahi has shown, through a development-oriented governance even with limited resources, that it is possible to leave an indelible mark in the sands of time.
