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By Ifeanyi Caleb Onah
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Enugu State Governor Mr Peter Mbah, has pledged to work towards completing the long-abandoned Enugu International Conference Centre (ICC) by March 2024.
The state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Ugochi Madueke, made this known while briefing journalists on the outcome of a meeting presided over by Governor Peter Mbah at the Government House Enugu on Friday.
This move comes 16 years after a former Governor of the state, Chimaroke Nnamani, initiated the project but couldn’t complete it.
Governor Mbah’s predecessor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s efforts to revive the project, couldn’t succeed untill his administration ended.
Governor Mbah’s administration aims to not only resurrect the ICC project but also revive other critical dilapidated facilities and structures within the state.
The state government said the centre would be a world-class venue in the entire South-East region and make the state capital an international city.
The plan is set to transform Enugu into an international city, bolstering tourism and employment prospects while providing an avenue for economic growth.
READ ALSO: Peter Mbah: My Administration Will Give Joy To Enugu People
In 2018, during the tenure of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the state’s Ministry of Works and Infrastructure was tasked with evaluating the outstanding builder’s works and contractual requirements necessary for the completion of the Enugu International Conference Centre. Despite these efforts, the project remained in a state of disrepair until Ugwuanyi concluded his eight years in office.
In his address, Madueke emphasised that the goal of the project was to transform the city into an international destination and bring the South East region to the forefront of tourism.
The Enugu International Conference Centre has 3,000-capacity auditorium, a 1,500-capacity secondary event venue, a 500-seat dome, shopping facilities, a food court, recreation center and mini amusement park.
Madueke further stressed that the project is expected to generate hundreds of job opportunities for the youth in the state, boosting internally generated revenue.
The project which was initiated in 2007 by ex-Governor Chimaroke Nnamani (May 1999 – May 2007), was abandoned. Sullivan Chime administration (2007 -2015) also did nothing about the project as it was then said that there was lack of documentation handed over by the predecessor.
Addressing another pressing concern in the state, Commissioner for Water Resources, Felix Nnamani, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing clean and affordable water for residents in Enugu metropolis.
According to him, reticulation efforts are underway, even as he noted that water supply might be intermittent as contractors fine-tune the system. He urged residents to report any issues they encounter with the water supply.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
