GPHCDA Interacts With Stakeholders Through Golf

The Greater Port Harcourt
City Development Authority,  (GPHCDA) at the weekend staged the maiden edition of Greater Port Harcourt City Golf Tournament at the golf section of Port Harcourt Club, 1928.
It was a one day competition that involved both amateurs and professionals, who had various ranges of prizes and award to contest for.
At the end of the day, Samuel Amadi emerged the overall winner with a net score of 65 beating Pastor Moses Abrakasa to the second position on net score of 66. John Eze placed third, tied on 66 but lost to Abrakasa on countback.
Okey Chike and Wale Odotola were recognised and rewarded after finishing tops of the Greater Port Harcourt Team with a net score of 77 and 79, respectively.
In the professional category, which had a total prize money of N500,000, Evans Anyanwu finished tops with a gross score of 71, Jude Emmanuel second with 72 and F. Obe third on 73 gross.
Other categories of winners include the seniors, longest drive men and ladies, nearest to the pin, men and ladies and best net scores, men and ladies.
Speaking earlier in an interview, the Administrator of Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority, Dame Aleruchi Cookey who performed the ceremonial tee-off of the tournament said that the golf tourney was part of the Authority’s promotional strategies aimed at driving and advertising the new city development.
According to her, the tournanment  with the slogan, Re-awakening the Garden City, was to interact with golfers who are stakeholders in the Golf estate being developed at the new city and leet them know what is going on. She also said that it was a one-on-one engagement.
According to the Administrator, the estate and golf course being developed by ‘ARM’ is located directly opposite the Port Harcourt International  Airport will be a place to live, work and play.
The estate, she said would occupy 200 hectares of land and have an 18 hole  golf course.
Already, according to officers of ‘ARM’, the development of the first phase of the course, which would deliver a playable nine-hole course by April next year, has started while the 18 holes would be ready by August 2015. The  entire golf estate which would have about 750 units of houses is a three-year project.
Also speaking during the prize presentation ceremony, Captain of the Port Harcourt Club’s golf section, Adokiye Ikpoki expressed happiness with the Greater Port Harcourt’s developmental strides, especially, in provision of sports facilities, particularly a golf course, which would be the sixth in Rivers State.
He said that golf is synonymous with real estate and described the intended golf estate and course as wise investments.
Ikpoki said that the section was excited to partner the GPHCDA.