Date Published: 02/28/11

Mimiko commissions N350m Akure Automart

The N350 million Auto Mart which is the first modern, structured and organized open area auto-trade zone in Nigeria has been commisioned by the Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko in Akure, the state capital  at the weekend as part of the activities to commemorate the second anniversary of his administration.

Besides its capacity of accomodating 1,000 vehicles in the lots, the Mart constructed by the State Direct Labour Agency will have a Central Computer Database of the particulars of displayed vehicles for prevention of theft and other unforseen constraints.

According to the governor, the project was conceived in order to halt the menace of indiscriminate and unorganized auto trading by over one hundred registered auto dealers along major roads in Akure.

Mimiko said "the benefit of the Auto Mart is that apart from addressing the infrastructural needs of Akure, it will also be of tremendous economic value in the generation of employment and boost commerce in the state.With the various first class facilities available at the Auto Mart, the intensity of economic activities that it will stimulate is better than imagined.

"We know that the uniqueness of the Auto Mart will excite people from far and near, therefore we plan to expand the Auto Mart in future to meet anticipated robust patronage in automobile sales and ancillary businesses. We are projecting that the Akure Auto Mart will, sooner than later, become the hub of auto trading in Nigeria" the governor assured.

He went further "one of our strongest desires has been to make Akure adorn the look and generate the ambience of a modern state capital in terms of infrastructural development, general environmental cleanliness, efficiency in health care, delivery, social security and many other requirements of a modern and a functional city"

In his address, the state Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Kunle Asaolu described the Auto Mart as a premier project which is benchmarking automobile business in the country.

"The desired effect of unencumbered traffic flow, road expansion and beautification of the Oba Adesida-Oyemekun Road corridor will however, not be achieved if automobile dealers continue to take over the road shoulders to display their vehicles" the Commisioner asserted. 

 The Chairman of Elizade nigeria Limited, Dr Michael Adeojo in his remarks described the project as a watershed in the annals of motor mart in Nigeria saying that the N350 Million Auto Mart put in place by the Mimiko administration was well thought out and remains the best and the first of its kind in Nigeria.