Business
Yenagoa’s Radisson Hotel Ready December — NCDMB, Other
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, has expressed confidence that the five-star Radisson Hotel and Conference Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, would be completed and commissioned this December .
He said this while addressing visiting top executives of Edison Corporation and Megastar Technical and construction company at the conclusion of a one-day project management tour and workshop at the headquarters of the Nigerian Content Tower (NCT), Yenagoa, weekend.
The Board in a statement from the Directorate of Corporate Communications said all other stakeholder assured of the delivery of world-class services in the hotel upon it’s completion.
Ogbe described the hospitality facility as a top priority project of the Board whose progress he would be following up every day and week.
“This project is critical to the Board, critical to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State and Nigeria. With this hotel becoming functional at the end of the year, I believe there will be tourism in Bayelsa State, and that’s one of my dreams.
“When I took up this job as Executive Secretary in December 2024 I said I must make this hotel work”, the NCDMB boss said.
He commended the team from Edison Corporation and the project contractor, Megastar Technical and Construction Company, for the quality and pace of work, adding “much is required from the Management to meet up the schedule delivery
“Most of the critical aspects of the project have been resolved in terms of mark-up room, scope of work in terms of financing and contracting strategies”
The Board’s Scribe said he was sure all hands would be on deck to ensure that work proceeds unhampered.
In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Edison Corporation, Mr. Vivian Reddy, said the team from Edison Hotel Group was very excited to come into a contractual arrangement with NCDMB, assuring the project will put the city on the world map.
“What is so important with the group Radisson International is that, if anyone around the world looks for Radisson Yenagoa, they will see this place pop up, and it’s going to help to uplift the area in terms of visitors and tourism.
“Our role is to make sure we deliver a world-class quality hotel from start to finish. We will open the hotel, we’ll furnish it. We’re working with the main contractor to make sure the facility meets world-class standards”, he said.
Speaking on the sealing of the contractual deal with the NCDMB, he noted it took great efforts, saying “getting Radisson in the agreement was not easy, and it took several months and cumulative one and a half years of discussions and documentation”.
The Edison boss, who is reputed to be the first South African businessman to lead a high-level business delegation from that country to Nigeria during the tenure of President Thabo Mbeki in 1999, was full of commendation for the NCDMB boss, describing him as “a great and visionary leader”.
“The vision and dream of the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB are going to become a reality. We’re going to help him and make it a reality and it’s going to be the best hotel in this region”, the boss noted.
Mr Reddy also commended the project contractors and professional teams involved, stating that his team has every confidence in their technical competence.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa