As Edo indigenes return home for the Yuletide celebration, there is renewed interest in the offerings at Emotan Gardens estate, the 1800-unit affordable housing project being developed by the Edo State Government and Mixta Nigeria, a renowned property development firm.
The affordable estate project is the product of a joint-venture partnership between the Edo State Government through the Edo Development and Property Agency (EDPA) with Mixta Nigeria, and is located at the Upper Sokponba axis of Benin metropolis.
While the first phase of the project is almost complete, with houses ready for occupation, work is still ongoing on other legs of the project, which will have a mix of housing types.
A cross-section of Edo indigenes who spoke to journalists during the Edo Festival of Arts and Culture (EdoFEST) and the annual Igue Festival, said that they were excited about the reforms of the state government, particularly in the housing sector.
Mr. Friday Edokpolor, who resides in Italy but is home for the Igue Festival, said life is returning to the state with the strategic partnership between the state government and the Oba’s Palace, noting that developments in the housing sector have picked the interest of Edo indigenes in the Diaspora.
According to him, “We are excited about what is happening in the state, and those of us in the Diaspora have our eyes on Governor Godwin Obaseki’s affordable housing scheme, which has kicked off with the Emotan Gardens project. We are mobilising our people to invest in it.”
Mr. Osaze Omorogbe, an investment banker in Lagos, who came home for the festivities, said that there are a number of reasons to be excited about the state government, notably among which are the governor’s humane approach to governance; the business-friendly environment in the state and the state’s respect for its bourgeoning investors.
He said that Emotan Gardens estate is a landmark project, not just because of its scale, but also due to the seriousness with which it is being handled, noting that not many housing projects are executed with such alacrity.
“The estate is good investment, I must say. Not just because of the fact that it is government-backed, but also because a number of promises made for its realisation are already being delivered.
The Benin-Abraka Road, which is the major route to the estate has been awarded for reconstruction. Anybody who gets a unit there today is sitting on a gold-mine, I must add.”