A milestone was reached in Kaduna yesterday when Rosehill Group Limited made a powerpoint presentation on the proposed new Kaduna town known as Makarfi City Layout.

In his presentation, the Chairman of Rosehill Group, Mr. Suleiman Yahyah, who led the technical experts - CEO of Umar Pareja Plc and Guaranty Trust Bank to Governor Mohammed Namadi Sambo, said they intended to bring a new flavour to the concept of constructing the new city, which includes 300 villas, 1,000 units of apartments, a hotel of over 200 rooms, a shopping mall, and a signature golf course, among others.

Yahyah said the cost of the whole development is US$350million (about N45billion Naira).

The company was established 11 years ago with a turnover in excess of N5billion last year.

It has a strong involvement in seven subsidiary undertakings covering telecommunications, avaition, financial services through Empire Securities, it and real estate development.

During the presentation by a partner and CEO of Umar Pareja PLLC, Mr Suleiman Umar, he said as indigenes of Kaduna State, they are bringing a new lease in developing the new city with an international touch and flavour with traditional and modem architecture.

"We will develop 10 percent of the land, besides other developers. We will construct a spif course andcertificate of occupancy, we will mobilize to the site and begin real development," he said.
 

Making a short speech, the Regional Director of Guaranty Trust Bank, Mr Sirajo Abdullahi, said they are looking at the clocked deal or the entire $350 million as well as looking at 4 financing options - equity which the owners of the project are supposed to come up with to confirm their seriousness about the project then debt financing like some of the hotels which are going to be directly financed by debt, then the housing projects would be financed through mortgages.

"We have a mortgage house called TT homes. As a bank, we are committed to this viable project," he said.

In a separate interview with Government House correspondents after the presentation, Mr. Suleiman Yahya said as indigenes with a passion and patriotic zeal to develop their state and the country, they are set to achieve three things in the proposed project: revamping mortgage market, which is virtually absent in the state, serving as vehicle of forging unity among the diverse multiethnic and religious citizens and above all, creating wealth, infrastructure for the people as if they are living abroad.

Asked about the affordability of the proposed 1000 units of apartments to average civil servants, Yahya said they are going to be accessible through mortgage at barely $100,000, which is N10million payable in 20 years.

"There' are a lot of mortgage institutions in Abuja who have successfully undertaken sales of various categories of apartments. Anyone who has a job and earns a timely salary could be able to afford the tastefully built houses," he answered.

In his remarks. Governor Sarnbo said his administration approved the final master plan about six weeks ago.

He congratulated the company on the well-articulated proposal, they were the first to come with a complete package at the right time.

He said his administration would equally establish a specialist hospital at the new Makarfi City saying its contract would be awarded iii the next few months.
A contract has been given to a reputable consultant for the detailed design of infrastructural facilities such as major roads, electricity supply, water, religious places, outdoor games site, among others," fie said.

''We will provide an emergency source of water for the contractors in having supply for construction of the projects.

"In the final masterplan, there is a riverside which is missing in your presentation. The commissioner will brief you and give you the new layout, so that people will have a beautiful look at the river while they pass through" he concluded.