Okon Bassey in Uyo
The 146 room Four Point by Sheraton Hotels in Ikot Ekpene local government area of Akwa Ibom State is to commence operation before the end of this year.
Work on the project which is 97 per cent completed is solely handled by the Akwa Ibom State Government.
The expansive 12 floor edifice whose construction started in 2013, was inaugurated by the then Governor, Godswill Akpabio shortly before his exit from government in 2015.
The hotel came under criticism by indigenes and residents as a failed project because it was yet to commence operations more than five years after it was inaugurated.
But officials of the state government said the hotel was not completed before the commissioning as most of its facilities failed to meet the standard and specifications of the hotel managers, Starwood Group whose franchise was later taken over by Marriott.
Director of Projects in the state Ministry of Special Duties, Engr. Ephraim Udosen told journalists during a visit to the hotel to ascertain the progress and schedule of work, that the current administration carried out modifications and upgrades in more than 50 key facilities and areas to meet the standards of the hotel managers who have also opened their recruitment portal to demonstrate their readiness to commence operation this year.
Udosen said the hotel has become one of the most technologically advanced in the country after several facilities were added and modifications and upgrades carried out in several of its facilities including the power installations, water treatment process, fire suppression and fighting systems, cooling system and ICT, in line with the requirements of the hotel managers.
According to him, the present administration constructed the parking lots, 310 metres access and link roads around the hotel, completed outstanding landscaping, procured transformers with switchgears and constructed dedicated power supply lines from the National Grid to the Hotel, ensuring availability of constant power supply.
He said the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel also purchased thousands of equipment, furniture and utensils and procured all outstanding Operating Supplies and Equipment (OS & E), Furniture Fittings and Equipment (FF&E) and Information Technology (IT) infrastructure under the agreed US $7.2m released to the Hotel operator.
The administration also provided the first phase of Hotel Guest Room Management System (GRMS) involving the incorporation of setback temperature control devices in all guest rooms Fan Coil Units (FCUs) and certification of all installed Plants, Equipment and Systems like Lifts, Boilers, Chillers, Firefighting Equipment/Systems, Water Quality (Potable, Swimming Pool, Chill Water) etc by third parties as recommended by Marriott.
Others included installation of bomb blast films in all entrance glasses, replacement of Failed Mineral Surface Membrane (FELT) to water proof the concrete roof deck gutters of the main Hotel roof floor and mechanical floor and provision of additional PH correction dosing station for further purification of domestic water supply to the Hotel.
