Delta, UK firm sign MOU on =
$250m Delta=20
leisure destination project
THE Delta State =
Government and=20
SARNER PFM of United Kingdom (UK) have signed a Memorandum =
of=20
Understanding (MOU) in Abuja on the establishment of a =
$250-million=20
Delta State Leisure Destination.
The MOU was signed by the State Commissioner for Culture =
and=20
Tourism, Mr Richard Mofe Damijo and while Mr Ross Magri, =
managing=20
director of SARNER UK signed for the company.
According to a statement made available to NAN on =
Wednesday in=20
Lagos by the state government, the project tagged "The Delta =
State=20
Leisure Destination" will provide for a Tourism and Leisure =
Village=20
in Warri and Asaba axis of the state.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Managing Director =
of SARNER=20
Nigeria, Princess Abiodun Oyefusi, said that the tourist =
village=20
would be the first of its kind in Africa with different =
tourism=20
components like wildlife and water park.
She explained that the company chose to establish the =
project in=20
Nigeria because of the absence of such world class project =
and the=20
loss of revenue to other countries with such potentials.
Oyefusi said that work would begin by November this year =
and that=20
the project would be completed by December 2011.
"The tourism village which will house different tourism=20
potentials will change the life and face of tourism in =
Nigeria,=20
create employment for about 10,000 people when fully =
operational,"=20
she said.
In his speech, Mofe Damijo explained that the project =
would be=20
sited in Warri and the Asaba axis and would consist of =
wildlife=20
component, accommodation, water park and transportation =
unit.
"By the time we complete this twin project, it will =
change the=20
face of tourism in Delta State and affect the lives of the =
people=20
positively, because it will create employment and ensure the =
establishment of other small scale industries," he said.
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State expressed the=20
commitment of his administration to the success of the =
project,=20
stressing that it would boost tourism in the state.
He said the state government would apply for an Export =
Free Zone=20
to enhance the success of the project.
"It is a project we are very serious about and we will =
ensure=20
that it is completed on schedule. Apart from the leisure =
village,=20
the project will provide employment and develop the state," =
he said.=20
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