The Nigerian Army has indicated interest in investing in Obudu Ranch Resort to reposition it to a world-class profit yielding facility.
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Army Properties Limited, General Umaru Mohammed (retd), made this known during a meeting with Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State at Government House in Calabar.
According to General Mohammed, who led other management staff of the firm to the meeting, “The Nigerian Army, just like its counterparts in civilized societies globally, is repositioning and now has a company that is exploring and fully harnessing business opportunities that abound in the country with the support of experts to participate in them.”He said that the investment, which will entail creation of access both by air and land, as well as communication facilities, would open up the facility and attract the desired traffic from within and outside the country to enhance its economic status.
He said that the establishment of the company has created opportunities for professionals in the army to contribute their quota in helping the army generate revenue that will help in making life more meaningful for its personnel..
In his reaction, Governor Ayade who was excited about the new thinking by the army said that it was a welcome development.
His said the partnership, when consummated, would open new vista of opportunities for the state and the people.
“We are expectant that Cross River State will now be a new corridor of business explosion that will show we can move Nigeria from its third world status to first world in four years. So this partnership should develop into a big wild fire that will ignite a new challenge in business horizon of Nigeria.
“Shortly after winning the election, I took my time to understudy the Disney World in Orlando and my strong conviction is that the least we can do here is to put a Disney .So you already have a minimum standard to meet if you cannot beat it. We should be in haste to get Disney started at the Ranch with a rain forest restaurant to complement.”
On the patronage of the facility to be upgraded, Governor Ayade said, “Nigerians have an appetite for exotic lifestyle because they work so hard, all they need is security, access and there is good life style, it will be flooded. We are 170 million people with a GDP of about $565 billion. We have a purchasing capacity that is strong. It may just be 10 percent that we will capture but that can translate into a large number in relative terms, and so everything is set for us to transform the Obudu Ranch Resort.”
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