Expectedly and understandably, there have been debates over the propriety of Governor Uzodimma’s plan to build a new five-star hotel, while the Imo Concorde Hotel is in a state of disrepair and almost abandoned.
I have read plausible arguments by Imolites who believe that a restoration of the old Concorde Hotel and putting the same into use might be a better investment than embarking on the construction of an entirely new hotel, as recently unveiled by the governor.
Those who advance this opinion are not enemies and might not even qualify to be described as opposition or critics of the administration, but are very certainly, patriots, who are not abreast with the correct information about this development.
The Imo Concorde Hotel stands today as the most relatable evidence of the gains of visionary governance on the one hand and the huge losses of inept leadership on the other.
More than forty years ago, Dee Sam Mbakwe conceived the idea of establishing a five-star hotel that could rival any hotel of its type in the world. As visionary leaders and reformers are wont to, the iconic politician and patriot was able to deliver this vision in the shortest possible time.
However, like prodigal children, many successive administrations in the state consecutively dismantled both the structural and managerial aesthetics of the Concorde Hotel. Attempts to restore the five-star status of the hotel, became more of a cash cow for corrupt politicians and contractors, as these efforts were mostly wasteful.
Concorde Hotel continued to deteriorate, while successive managements appointed by different administrations continued to walk away with huge personal profits. Some of them are alleged to have built their personal hotels within months or a few years of taking over the management of that hotel.
As a prudent businessman and financial manager, His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma explored ways towards reviving that hotel, appointing different managements at various times, but it was obvious that so much damage had been wrought on the hotel over the years, that it was difficult for these 3R managers to bring about any major magic that could restore the hotel to its original status.
It became obvious that trying to revive that hotel could amount to pouring oil into a leaking pot. No matter how much oil you pour, very little will be gathered. It would have been easier for Governor Uzodimma to embark on an endless and probably, impossible attempt to reconstruct and restore the Concorde Hotel, but for a man, who has shown himself to be a stickler for excellence, he would rather embark on a project whose benefits to the people are measurable and timely.
Due to successive mismanagement and corruption by past administrations, the Imo Concorde Hotel also has a pile of legal encumbrances that would make it difficult and even impossible for many investors to put their money into attempting to restore and manage it. The idea of constructing a brand new hotel, that holds the promise of becoming even more exotic and profitable than the Imo Concorde Hotel is, therefore, unarguably germane.
While I believe that the government has not and will not discard the Imo Concorde Hotel forever, from what I know, the process of clearing any legal issues and finding a suitable investor to take over and revive the hotel has not been abandoned. IMO can host 20 such hotels, and each of them will get more than enough patronage.
The Imo Marriott Hotel promises to further enhance Imo’s place as the hospitality capital of Nigeria, and Imo’s equity in the investment is guaranteed to be the best business decision ever taken by any administration in the history of Imo State. The consortium of investors participating in this venture is one of the best that could have been obtained.
Read Also: Imo State: Uzodimma Reinstates Heads of Healthcare Agencies
With a PPP arrangement, the hotel is protected from abusive financial management that ruined Concorde Hotel, because, while the Imo Marriott Hotel will be the property of Imo people, it will be managed by experienced businessmen who would be focused on recovering their investments, making a profit, but without undue exploitation of Imo people.
- Script Credit: ONWUASOANYA FCC JONES
Disclaimer: “The views and contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of Onwuasoanya FCC Jones and do not necessarily reflect those of The World Satellite. The World Satellite will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.”
