New shopping experience in Anambra as Onitsha Mall opens for business

For the citizens of Anambra State, especially the residents of Onitsha—the state’s commercial nerve centre, and Awka the state capital—a new shopping experience has come as the Onitsha Mall has been completed with the South Africa retail chain, Shoprite, opening for business.

A joint venture project between the state government and African Capital Alliance (ACA), “the mega mall which is the first of Shoprite’s stores in Anambra will be followed by the opening of the Awka and Nnewi branches, and is expected to ensure that residents’ needs are met in one shop at affordable prices”, the governor, Willie Obiano, said during its commissioning.

The governor told residents of Onitsha and neighbouring towns who have the intention of patronizing the shop to be rest-assured of security as he has, besides dedicating two American-styled patrol vehicles to the mall also assigned police horse riders to maintain security in the area.

He added that plans were on to construct a link road through the mall to Nkewlle Ezunaka community to ease the access to the mall for customers who are coming from Awka, the state capital.

Earlier, the representative of African Capital Alliance, managers of the mall, Osita Okonkwo, stated that the commencement of business in the mall would herald the influx of investors into the state.

“This project cost over N6 billion, and this is an example of what can be achieved when private firms align with the government. The governor has offered us tremendous incentives, like the upgrading of the Park Road and the upgrading of our powerline from 11 to 33 KVA.

” This is small compared to the kind of investment that will spring up in the state after now. Anambra is the place to be for any serious investor, and we can testify to that”, he said.

The Secretary to the state government, Solo Chukwuelobe who spoke on behalf of Anambra State Investment Protection and Promotion Agency (ANSIPPA) stated that the the state government worked hard to ensure that the project was completed, adding that government put in 60 percent of the funds for the completion of the project.

CHUKA UROKO