Joseph Nzepuome, Managing Director, Imo Wonder Lake Resort and Conference Centre Project, explains the state government’s tourism drive
Q: How viable will the Imo Lake Resort and Conference Centre Project be?
A: It is going to be very, very viable, if you consider that Imo State and Owerri are strategically located. We have between seven and ten states around us. When you consider this, you begin to realise that the potential has always been there. And thank God for Chief Ikedi Ohakim. He realised the potential and he is trying to maximise that opportunity. When you consider that Imo State is surrounded by Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Delta, Cross River and Rivers states, you begin to appreciate the position that Imo State occupies. We have an unsegmented natural market of about 40 million people that Imo can tap into. When you consider Oguta town, with its natural position, you begin to appreciate the beauty of the lake. And in Owerri, we have over 200,000 students who can make use of the facilities we want to put in place. This should give you an idea of the potential that tourism has in Imo. I’m surprised that no past administration has ever tried to smaximise that opportunity. So, we give kudos to the governor, whose vision and commitment we are here to implement.
Q: What exactly will be on offer when the Imo Wonder Lake Resort and Conference Centre takes off?
A: It is going to be a place like no other in West Africa. When the project is completed, Imo will no longer have to depend on the federal allocation for its developmental projects. We will have employment galore. We will eliminate basically the issue of insecurity among youths. This is a place that will employ about 40,000 people. The pre-construction stage will employ about 10,000 people. We are not even talking about other related industries that will benefit from it. You can begin to feel the vision of Governor Ohakim.
Q: What about the facilities that will be available?
A: Yes, it will be in phases. We are upgrading the existing 60-room motel to a 3-Star international standard. The hotels will be segmented. We will have 3-Star, 4-Star and 5-Star. We are talking about world class hotels, not the type we have in Nigeria, which are awarded all kinds of stars. There will also be facilities like amusement park, entertainment facilities and sports facilities such as mini-stadium that will be for training. It is going to be a multi-faceted place where, of course, we shall have over 40 million people within the South-South and South-East alone. We are not even talking about the rest of Nigeria and West Africa. Eventually, we are going to corner that market and extend our market overseas.
Q: This is a very ambitious project. Does the state have the resources to actualise it?
A: It depends on what you mean. Of course, it is going to be a public-private partnership thing. The state will not spend more than 20 per cent of the total cost. It is going to be a 20-80 investment.
Q: Akwa Ibom, Cross River and a few states around have launched similar projects. Don’t you think this will take a little away from the patronage Imo may be eyeing?
A: Thank you for asking that question. I don’t think so. This is a free market economy. In conceptualising this project, we considered other states. That is the beauty of a free market economy where competition will make you do your best and provides an environment for excellence. The more you provide excellent service, the more people are likely to patronise you. For instance, I know you have been to London and Las Vegas in the US. Within half a block, you have over 100-200 restaurants. So, each business is patronised based on the kind of service it provides. You talked about Tinapa in Cross River State. Tinapa is a business outfit. We are not into buying and selling in Oguta Lake. We are to provide family entertainment, conference centre etc. Every weekend, we have all the hotels in Owerri filled to the brim. Where are these people coming from? Right now, a lot of activities are coming up. In the future, we shall have many tourists. So, we want to provide a place where families can enjoy themselves, where you can come on a retreat or any kind of conference and while you are doing your conference, your family can enjoy the other facilities there. Every week, we have between 10,000 and 20,000 people visiting the state. When you consider that we have 200,000 students in Owerri, you will realise what I’m talking about. Look at the trend throughout the world. When a city like Birmingham has succeeded because of its student population, we are out to maximise or harness the opportunities that this student population provides. This is the first time in the history of this state that a governor who is visionary, dedicated, focused and committed is trying to make Imo a self-sustaining state, where we don’t have to depend on oil revenue and if you look at most countries that succeed in what they do, they don’t have oil. So, why should we depend on oil? We have the resources, we have the will and what it takes and we are going to succeed in this project.
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IPhy
21 October 2008 20:42This man is just praise-singing for the Governor. WHat vision does he have? Is an amusement park what Imo people need? When many people do not have jobs, those that have don’t even earn enough to cover their basic necessities, they governor is planning for an amusement park!. If this is being visionary, I wonder what lack of vision will be!
How can this project employ 40,000 people on a regular basis? That means, it will be employing as much, if not more than, the Imo civil service. The golf-course that is already at the Oguta Lake resort, what have the government done with it? Except for David Mark who used it to organise Nitel Tournament in the late 80’s, who else has used the place. Even if the amusement park is built, where will you get the power from? Yes, we have WonderLand here in Toronto and Marine Land in Niagara but they are not meant for people that are unemployed or cannot feed themselves adequately. Again, these projects are totally private.
You leaders should stop decieving the good people of Imo State. This elephant project is nothing but a means for Ohakim to sipphon money way from the state treasury to his personal pocket. He he the governor truly has vision, he would have known that government, as it is in Nigeria, does not have the capacity to run for-profit business. The best he could have done, is to provide the enabling environment for the private sector to take on this project. To assess the viability of this project, he should have asked himself, why is it that the private sector has not gone into it? Duke spent all those money on Tinapa, how much has flown into the coffer’s of Cross River State from the Tinapa project.
Please you people in power should rule in the State in the interest of the masses. The average Imo person is very hard working, all s/he needs an enabling environment to exercise his/her entreprenuerial skills.
chinedu Nwadinigwe
24 October 2008 07:50Am from Imo state and am impressed by this vision. I just pray it comes out just the way it sounds, cos we have heard things that sound so sweet and at the end of the day it becomes a failiure.
Uwadi Samuel Uchechukwu
31 October 2008 21:11My name is Uwadi Uchechukwu from Eziama Isiala Mbano but i leave in Lagos.
please this is a very good ideal and vision from our visionary govervor. but the the only thing is not saying but doing. I know my governor he is a man that fulfils promises he doesn’t fail i know he is going to do it.
Uche Ben Odunzeh
11 December 2008 23:45I strongly agree with idea,Nigeria needs to start realizing that the sooner we start been more transparent with thinking regards to the future of Nigeria,we might end up worse than other countries in Africa.
We think that just focusing on energy and been more diverse with Government/Private funding and improving in other industries,like science,healthcare,tourism,security,education and also encouraging the private,foreign investors in investing other rich Nigerian cities are not important steps and mandates to improve the Nigerian economy.
Nigeria needs to remember that encouraging and implementing inter-city development will be a major step in stimulating and improving the economy of The Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Uche Ben Odunzeh
Paschal Ukpabi, JD, Esq.
16 December 2008 22:11Iphy,
Have you considered the employment opportunities that will be available if the project gets off the ground? Have you thought about the revenue that will accrue to imo State government? Why can’t we encourage the governor, instead of doubting every move the government makes.
This is about investment and job creation, O.K