Full Text of Governor Peter Mbah’s Address at the Unveiling of the Reconstructed Hotel Presidential, EnuguToday is a homecoming for history. Sixty-two years ago, our forebears under the visionary leadership of Dr. Michael Okpara built this landmark as a symbol of Eastern Region’s resilience, elegance and enterprise. But over the decades, time and neglect dimmed that light. For about 15 years, this glorious edifice stood as an affront to our pride, as something contrary to what we represent.We came into office with a strong pledge: to recover what belongs to our people, to revive what is moribund, and to make Enugu the preferred destination for investment, tourism, living and leisure. We made a deliberate decision: to convert dormant assets into productive assets; turn liabilities into engines of growth. That is why this unveiling is more than opening the doors of a hotel; it is the reopening of Enugu’s confidence. It is a tangible sign that when we say Enugu is open for business, we mean business.The standards for this hotel’s revamp were truly world-class. We insisted on this so that when Enugu says “welcome” to its investors, our hospitality infrastructure speaks with the same credibility as our policies.We thank the managers and concessionaire – Amber Hospitality – for believing in Enugu’s potential. They bring on board an enviable pedigree, earned through the efficient management of about 12 successful brands in the hospitality sector – from Lagos to Abuja and Port Harcourt.There’s no doubt that some cynics would be thinking a similar fate that plagued the old Hotel Presidential will befall the new Hotel Presidential. That’s why we left no room for error; that’s why we ensured that the managers emerged through a very competitive process.Our gratitude, also, to the contractors – Dilworth – for their attention to detail; the Commissioners of Works, Culture and Tourism who worked through long days and nights; and our dear citizens for their patience, feedback, and faith.We stand here today, proof that promises kept are better than promises made. Today, we match word with deed – like we did last week with the launch of our five transport terminals and CNG mass transit buses. This hotel is a strategic enabler of our growth plan, comprising the ambitious target to grow Enugu’s economy sevenfold to at least $30 billion and to achieve a zero percent poverty headcount rate.To do that, we must unlock sectors that create jobs at scale, deepen our tax base through growth – not higher rates – and crowd in private capital.Our hospitality ecosystem today is simply inspiring: the 5,000-seat International Conference Centre (ICC) now anchors Enugu’s conferencing ambitions; the adjacent 5-star, 345-room ICC Hotel under construction will deliver premium “keys” for large events; Enugu Air, which has given wings to our dreams and announced the scale of our vision to the world; and now, the renewed Hotel Presidential adds a full-service icon back into the mix.None of this is a whimsical project; they are connecting dots on a large canvas. These assets are crucial to our aim to welcome up to three million annual tourist visits and to make Enugu the Conferencing Capital of Africa. Together, they give organizers and airlines the comfort that Enugu can host large-scale events, support crew layovers, and keep visitors in our city for longer stays. Longer stays mean more spending, restaurants, retail, culture, transport, more jobs for our youths, and more opportunities for our MSMEs.The economic value is already visible. This hotel alone supports hundreds of direct jobs, culinary and events teams, engineering, landscaping, suppliers, and several other opportunities. Every conference day books our taxis and CNG buses; every visiting family discovers our art, our music, our cuisine, and our warmth. And the signal to investors is even bigger: when government shows it can recover assets, fix the fundamentals, and protect investments, private capital follows. That is why you see momentum across other moribund assets like UPPL, Sunrise Flour Mill, Nigergas; International Conference Centre, and a host of others.What you will experience here is not nostalgia repainted; it is heritage re-engineered. The Hotel Presidential now meets the expectations of today’s traveler: modern rooms and suites, efficient lifts and safety systems, contemporary conference and events spaces, improved culinary offerings, reliable power and water, and digital comfort. But the soul of hospitality is people. We have prioritized training and service culture. Our objective is that a guest who spends two nights in Enugu leaves with a lifetime desire to return, because of how they were treated, how efficiently things worked, and how beautiful our city felt.The commission of a key project such as this offers a huge sense of satisfaction. But it is not the finish line; it signals the beginning of another phase in the journey. It’s important to implement an aggressive but sustainable occupancy strategy, bundling conference packages with the ICC, partnering airlines for crew contracts, and curating regular cultural and culinary festivals that keep our rooms warm through seasons.We will continue to strengthen local expertise in hospitality so that Enugu youths can compete for jobs in this sector. This dream has been enhanced through the full accreditation of hospitality programmes granted to the Institute of Management and Technology. IMT’s collaboration with Dewdrop Hospitality Academy is also a significant boost. Graduates of the programme would be certified by UK’s City and Guilds. This means they can be employed by the most prestigious hotels anywhere in the world.We will strive to foster the blossoming of local content, farm-to-table supply chains that give our farmers predictable demand and fair prices, and procurement policies that favour MSMEs that meet quality standards. My dear young people, the most valuable suite in this hotel is the opportunity it creates for you. Learn the craft, build the discipline, start the small businesses that supply the big businesses, and keep pushing your ideas. We are building an economy where talent and hard work – not connections – determine outcomes.To our elders for whom the Presidential Hotel represents a slice of nostalgia: thank you for keeping the memory alive. We dedicate this rebirth to you. To our guests, welcome home. To Ndi Enugu everywhere, hold your heads high, your state is rising.It is therefore with pride that I unveil the reconstructed Hotel Presidential to the glory of God and the prosperity of our people. Everything of which we dream is indeed within our grasp because tomorrow is here.
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