Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, Monday, inaugurated a commercial centre comprising a shopping mall and a car park that would uplift Akure, the State Capital.
According to him, when his administration came on board in 2009, there was no infrastructure to kick start commercial centre for business and economic growth.
He said the need for an urgent intervention both on the physical and social infrastructural facilities of the state in order to positively impact the life of the citizenry became imperative.
The governor said “We commenced an aggressive infrastructural development of this city with the construction of roads with street lights, and construction of modern markets with stores to take traders off the street and the traffic routes; we invested heavily on securing the lives and properties of our people.
“We did this because we know that infrastructural development and good governance breed confidence among investors. Already our urban renewal drives have sparked surging interests and our insistence on good governance has enabled us to attract businesses that will create jobs”.
To completely facilitate and translate the agenda of changing the State’s economic landscape from a prostate agrarian economy to a modern industrialized one, Mimiko said his administration put in place the Directorate of Public Private Partnership, (PPP) with a responsibility to broaden and enhance relationship of government with the private sector.
This he said was to strengthen the State’s economy, and its productive base to advance the frontiers of trade.
Through the PPP, Mimiko said government had created conducive environment for private sector to take the lead in industrial activities in the State so that goods and services were efficiently harnessed for the benefit of the citizenry.
He disclosed that Top Services Nigeria Limited had entered into partnership with the State to manage the shopping mall and car park with the concept of transforming Akure into a Modern Retail Shopping City and an entertainment hub for Ondo State and its environs.
Mimiko said the development would consequently create job opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths and graduates, farmers and artisans to boost revenue generation of the State.
According to him, the shopping mall here would make it easier for retail businesses in the State to thrive, expand and discourage adulteration as well as excessive spending on transportation and storage.
He disclosed that the project had the capacity to serve as a true beacon of hope for everyone in the State.
The Governor noted that the project when completed in the next 15 months, it would complement a brand new five star hotel which is to occupy the remaining part of the land.
He assured that the project would be built and commissioned before the expiration of his tenure.
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