The Edo State Government has signed a Public Private Partnership agreement with a private firm to build an ultramodern shopping mall, which will contain 4,000 lock-up shops, in Benin City, the state capital.
While signing the agreement on behalf of the government, Comrade Oshiomhole said as a demonstration of government’s seriousness, the Certificate of Occupancy of the Mall, which will take a massive 24 hectares of land, has been signed.
Oshiomhole said when completed, the Mall will offer up to 10,000 new jobs even as it would be a one-stop market for shoppers.
He said: “We have demonstrated our agreement by signing the CofO of the land and we are ready to render any other assistance we can to ensure you to succeed in this venture.
“I believe this venture is one that will pay its way in the shortest possible time.
“I assure you of our cooperation. And in thirty days time, we will have the honoutr of flagging it off with the turning of the sod.
“This is the first non-agric PPP and there are many others in the pipeline.”
On his part, the Managing Director of Bridgeways Global Projects Nigeria Limited, Mr. James Onyemena, said the ultramodern shopping mall, which will be located on the Benin-Abraka Expressway, will also have four big retail outlets, a police station, an ultra-modern abbatoir, a banking hall and will be completed between 25 and 30 months.
Onyemena also noted that the construction of the shopping mall on the outskirts of the city will redirect traffic from the city centre to the outskirts, thus making development to get to other parts of the state capital.
According to him, his company came to Edo State to support the administration because it admires the good work going on in the area of infrastructural development.
He said the construction will commence in 30 days, adding that when completed the shopping mall create an avenue where people can carry out their businesses under one roof.