By Kure Tashilane.
Nasarawa State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Optiview Realty Elysian’s Grove Estate Managing Director Husseini Abdullahi for a joint venture agreement to develop the Deputy Governor’s Lodge at Plot No.10 Agatu Close, Garki District Abuja FCT which is a 4,000 square metre expanse of land.
The MoU signing was shortly followed by the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of thirteen (13) block terrace grove with golf course at the moribund deputy governor’s lodge in Garki Abuja with the state having an equity stake of forty (40) percent while Optiview Realty Elysian Grove Estate provides sixty (60) percent equity.
Engineer Sule explained that the development is part of his administration’s commitment to revive all moribund state government assets spread across: Kaduna, Lagos and Plateau states in order to revamp Nasarawa State assets and viability among committee of states.
” From all indication, this looks like an abandoned property by mere looking at it, and encroachment on such properties especially in prime area like this is something that is very common. For the fact that somebody had been able to keep it without it being encroached; I show great appreciation to all those who had worked so hard to make sure there was no encroachment on this area and it still remains Nasarawa State property ” The Governor noted.
He lauded the foresight of the young men and women who are working with him to move the state forward on the side of Nasarawa State Investment Development Agency (NASIDA) whose efforts saw the revitalization of the state liaison office which had been completely transformed as a viable asset to Nasarawa State.
” Secondly, I want to inform you that we have forward thinking young men and women in Nasarawa State whom we gave the assignment to look at all these properties, because if you remember, this was the way our own governor’s lodge at the heart of Asokoro was also looking and we did everything possible to revive it and today, most business are transacted in that particular location …
” In a very short while from now when you come back to this place, you think it is a different place altogether. No government mean anything if the government does not have properties. The essence of government having properties is to make it credit viable. When government say this is ours, this is ours, it makes the government credible and it would be able to borrow money here and there ” The Governor explained.
He stressed that it is better to revitalize all the moribund properties belonging to Nasarawa State instead of selling them as they were before now deemed non-performing assets.
The Governor noted that the state government is providing the land valued at eight hundred million naira (800m naira) equity while Optiview Realty Elysian’s Grove Estate is providing one point two million naira (1.2m) equity into the project which is billed to be completed before the end of 2025.
He stressed that at the completion of the project, the state government would take six terraces (which is 6 apartments) while Optiview Realty Elysian Grove Estate would posses seven terraces which is a 40, 60 sharing formula.
The Governor equally assured the people of the state that his administration is floating another public private partnership for the revitalization of the state non-performing property situated in Kaduna state so as to raise the profile of Nasarawa State among committee of states.
” However, because of our financial position today, we are going to do something very similar with a higher investment in Kaduna where Nasarawa state government has a property just like so many other states have their own properties which had been left to lie fallowed like this even though there is a building there ” The Governor pointed out.
The Governor disclosed further that Kaduna is a state where each time he has meetings, he is always compelled to rent house that is very expensive.
” I am happy to tell you that I have already approved the initial payment of six hundred million naira (600m)for the construction of that site which is going to be completed this year. By that, Nasarawa can now say; we have a prime property in Abuja, we have a prime property in Kaduna, by the grace of God, if it works out; we will have a prime property in a prime area in Lagos ” Engr. Sule noted.
Earlier, the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer Nasarawa Investment Development Agency Barrister Ibrahim Abdullahi said in 2022, His Excellency Engineer Abdullahi A. Sule gave them a matching order to do an audit and review of all government assets to ascertain the ones that are performing and the redundant ones in collaboration with the office of the Secretary to the State Government.
He stressed that, thereafter, they setup a very effective working committee to identify assets belonging to the state that are non-performing and proffer suggestions on how to optimize these assets.
” Your Excellency, it is as a result of that exercise that today we are on this ground, a very strategic asset belonging to the people and government of Nasarawa state for it to be optimize. This is popularly know and initially built as the deputy governor’s lodge for Nasarawa state which had been left non-performing …
” And with your vision Your Excellency, we deployed a public private partnership mechanisms to invite private sector partners in redesigning and repurposing this assets. Your Excellency, today is another opportunity to showcase your effective PPP framework for Nasarawa State ” Abdullahi explained.
NASIDA MD stressed that Optiview Realty Elysian’s Grove Estate had done a wonderful work in redesigned this very important asset to build and operate a 13 unit luxury terraces to be shared on 60, 40 bases for the benefit of the people of Nasarawa State.
While giving the overview of the project, the Managing Director Optiview Realty Elysian’s Grove Estate Husseini Abdullahi said they are honoured and as well challenged as an indigenous company to take on the responsibility of developing Nasarawa State deputy governor’s lodge into a 13 block terrace.
He disclosed that the project which is christened Elysian Grove Estate which is golf resort with an isolated terrace that is going to be built on a 4,000 expanse of land as the golf resort is going to have a cafe, a gymnasium specifically meant for high profile estate.
The project would be completed within eighteen months from now and be ready for commissioning the MD Optiview Realty Elysian’s Grove Estate assured.