By: Ike Philip Abiagom
The Executive Chairman of Gateway Parks Limited,Chief Frank Ogujiuba, on Wednesday, praised the Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty,Obi Prof. Epiphany Azinge,SAN,OON, for reinvented Asaba in the eyes of the world with his soul-searching and inspiring speech during their visit to his palace.
Ogujiuba who was accompanied by Chief Ambrose Elofu Dike,Chief Victor Ifeanyi Nwodo and other top management of Gateway Parks Limited,paid a courtesy visit to the Asagba of Asaba in his palace in Asaba, Delta State, further said the ascension of His Royal Majesty Prof. Epiphany Azinge on the throne was a sign of possibilities for the country.
“It is a sign that whatever the challenges are – we may be going through the valleys, hills, the meandering lines – what is clear is that this nation is on the path to positive development,”Ogujiuba predicted.
Chief Ogujiuba said the waterfront development is the kind of development the world is looking at today and that God has given Asaba the location and a very wonderful place, because of the water, the islands and the terrain. So, we want to do something beautiful in Asaba. The largest market in the world will be developed in Asaba, It’s not the normal lock up shops, but there are going to be 35 Malls containing 22,000 shops. It’s going to be the biggest shopping arcade in the world. It will have its own river port so that goods can come in straight and get into the market without trucking. We’re going to have 1,000 Housing Units developed there.
It’s a brand new City with Amusement Parks, Hotels, Hospitals and all the trappings of a City. By the grace of God, construction will kick of very soon and it would create employment for Asaba and Delta State. We’re looking at 40,000 jobs during construction and about 12-1,000 post construction jobs.
This Project is going to change the narratives and the story-line of Delta State. This project will put Asaba on the map of the world, because its going to be about the biggest private development that’s going to happen in West Africa, the environment of Asaba, the landscape and everything about Asaba and Delta State.
Responding, HRM Obi Azinge, thanked Gateway Parks Limited management for the honour and insights, adding that Chief Frank Ogujiuba
speech was actually primarily directed to Asaba community. He thank him for the vision to bring more development to Asaba.
Asagba Arzinge said that he is a strong defender of Asaba interest and in everything Asaba stand first and will always like to know where the interest of his people is located in anything happening in Asaba land and that he will never equivocate on that because Asaba is his primary constituency and he came to throne committed to protect and promote the interest of Asaba people.
“We are all proud of this city, because the people of Asaba are very hospitable ,welcoming, law abiding, we are proud of its legacy of tolerance and warmth and that it remains a home for all Nigerians,” he added.
“This city of Asaba is not ordinary city in both historical and modern times, Asaba has always been seen as the major commercial and the fastest growing economic state capital in West Africa and the melting pot of diverse tribes and culture,”
He added that it is only with the tolerant culture of the city that opposite ideas can co-exist peacefully “that you could have a thriving, free-market economy with several millionaires and yet be the base for the radical left-centre of the political idea he ended by sating that Asaba is investors friendly and totally committed to their environment and always ready to cooperate and welcome investors.
Asagba Azinge thanked Gateway Parks Limited management for the visit and pray for peace in Asaba kingdom.