Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, is expected to perform the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of a new hotel, the Swiss-Enyimba Hotels, Aba, a branch of Swiss International Hotels and Resorts, located in the Ogbor Hill area of the commercial city.

The Managing Director, Africa, Swiss International Hotels and Resorts, Mr. Wasiu Babalola, who disclosed this Tuesday, said that the organisation has received the hotel’s approved plan from Abia State government, adding that construction work would soon begin.

Babalola had said last November that work would commence at the site before the end of December last year, but up till now, work has yet to commence at the site.

He blamed the delay on bureaucracy, explaining that his organization and the state government have been fine-tuning the plan to ensure that every requirement was met, to enhance the hotel’s progress.

“His Excellency, the Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, had since given out the approvals but you know government bureaucracy; but last month, we got all the copies. We had expected the planned approval to come before December. That has been the cause of the delay. You know it is all about financing. If all the approvals are not at the table, you are stuck at a point,” stressing that his firm paid no dime to secure the approvals.

With plans in his kitty, Babalola said: “In some week’s time, the engineers will be on site.”

He also said that his organisation was working out a plan to give vocational training to Aba residents who would work at the site in areas such as welding, plumbing and other vocations.

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