The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Friday, commissioned the Benin Airport Park and Garden, one of nine model parks and gardens developed by his government to bring about functional recreational activities for residents and visitors within the Benin metropolis.

The governor was joined by the Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki; the Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory senatorial district, Senator Ireti Kingibe; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Osaigbovo Iyoha; Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Arc. Joshua Omokhodion; Chief Medical Director of Benin Military Hospital, Brigadier General PO Aborime, and Managing Director, Prestige Hotel, Mr. Felix Edosomwan, among others.

Obaseki, who urged the community and other residents on the protection and security of the centre and other government projects, named the centre the Prestige Gardens and Park, after the iconic Prestige Hotel, Benin City.

He said, “This is part of the plan of making Edo great again as Benin City was a very planned city. In our villages and communities, we all have villages and town squares where people relax and have community meetings and social interaction. This place is created to ensure we meet and commune together.

“Edo State is used to things of beauty and we have done our best to maintain it. It creates community bonding. We are here to change things and not here to follow the old order. Edo State must now have open areas where people can come relax and enjoy themselves.”

Obaseki added, “We have set up an agency called the Parks and Garden Agency and urge Edo people to inform us if they see any free space so we can take it over and beautify it like this. We have started with nine like these.”

According to him, “We have two in Gapiona and I heard that they are ready, and soon we will go and commission it. We have another one at Iyioba where we recovered some land after constructing Textile Mill Road. We have another one at Urora. Anywhere we have constructed a drainage system, we have constructed a park because of the water body.”

He continued: “We pray that future governments will see it as beautiful and something that we need to do and construct more parks.

“We already have the structure and agency to help us with things like this as we continue to develop more. This park is for the use of members of the public. It's your property as you will join the government to keep it safe and clean. It will be easier to maintain and sustain when we work together.”

Obaseki further charged, “We urge the Nigerian Army to protect it for us. We also have the owner of Prestige Hotel to help us maintain this park. And because we see you as a co-owner who will help us maintain the park, we will name it Prestige Park and are leaving it in your care as you continue to improve on what we have done.

“When we thought of this public space and how to create, manage and maintain it, we created a revenue model to sustain it. All the billboards around here are revenue dedicated to the management of the park and providing the things needed for the park. The military has agreed to secure that park while prestige hotel will support the sustenance of the park.”