THE dream Asaba Waterfront City project is inching towards realization with the high expectations of transforming the state capital’s landscape, help ease the pressure occasioned by skyrocketing house rents in Asaba, and attracts investors to the state.
Conceptualized by the administration of the immediate past Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, the coastal city project is located on the Asaba stretch of the bank of the River Niger. It was designed to be Africa’s newest upscale, smart, and tech-driven city, and it is being executed under a well-structured Public-Private-Partnership (PPP).
Under the PPP arrangement, the Delta State Government has a 15 per cent stake, Asaba communities would have a five per cent stake, and private investors would enjoy about 80 per cent stake. The project being executed on 1,000 hectares of land is made up of two sections allocated to two reputable companies’ remarkable and excellent track records over the years: the North China Construction Nigeria Ltd to build the Asaba Waterfront City, and Falklands Nigeria Ltd to develop the Niger City.
At the end, about 10,000 plots of land, measuring 100 feet by 100 feet, will be available after the reclamation exercise, and a mega city with economic hubs, recreational parks, and residential areas, among other facilities befitting a mega city, will emerge.
To underscore the interest of the state government led by Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, the State Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze recently visited the project site for an inspection, where he assured that the six-lane Asaba Waterfront City project will transform the state capital’s landscape and also ease the pressure of skyrocketing house rents in Asaba.
Comrade Izeze explained that the road will open up the Waterfront City and boost housing supply in the capital city, adding that the project would also help decongest the already overcrowded city centre while curbing the menace of illegal and temporary structures that had previously taken over the area.
It is quite delightful to observe that the state is investing in the area to reclaim a vast land that was taken over by water and, in its place, delivers the fascinating and enterprising project. We commend this laudable initiative that will truly help solve the acute problem of housing deficit in Asaba.
Apart from mitigating the alarming housing deficit in Asaba, the project will open up a new vista of tourism development and commercial activities in the state capital. The Asaba Waterfront City, from a broader perspective, is a strategic project that will ultimately expand the frontiers of Asaba, bringing in different alluring social amenities that would enhance the aesthetic ambience of the state capital.
No doubt, the project will be a new settlement within Asaba, and it will significantly address the housing problem. Consequently, we commend the state government for the bold steps taken in revolutionizing the city and the state in general, through the Asaba Waterfront City project.
However, this lofty dream cannot be allowed to go the way of some projects that remained stagnant for years unattended. Therefore, appeal for speedy completion of the well-conceived and well-intentioned project, bearing in mind that generations after will appreciate the administration of Senator IfeanyiOkowa and the Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori for the initiative and execution.
While advocating for adequate funding, we urge the contractors handling the project to execute it according to the Basic Engineering Measurement and Evaluation (BEME) and in line with international best practices, as the project is dear to the hearts of Deltans, especially residents of Asaba communities.
Governor Oborevwori deserved commendation for the choice of reputable contractors, which goes to ensure that Deltans get value for the money being invested in the projects, and it behooves the contractors to strictly adhere to project specifications.
As Deltans wait for the speedy completion of the project, members of the immediate communities housing the project should take ownership by ensuring that facilities are adequately protected from vandals by the time it is completed.
