From Edem Archibong, in Calabar
The Cross River State Governor, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu has given out about thirty million Naira as grant to twenty hotel owners and about fifteen major restaurants operating in the Northern Senatorial District and the Southern Senatorial District as incentive to bring to standard the tourist facilities in the state.
The cheques were presentation to the beneficiaries in Calabar by the Managing Director of Cross River State Tourism Bureau, Prince Ekpenyong Ojio who explained that the grant is not to be spent on frivolities but that the hotel owners in the state are expected to make judicious use of the grant to transform their tourism facilities ahead of the coming Calabar Carnival when a lot of tourists will come to the state.
The Tourism boss explained that in April,2024, the Bureau which started the grant service from the Southern Senatorial District last year with some ten million Naira was followed up with another ten million grant to hotels in Central Senatorial District, while the second round of the grant this time is for hotels in the Southern Senatorial District.
As part of the “people’s first” mantra of Bassey Edet Otu administration, the Tourism body revealed that they have extended the grant offers to about fifteen restaurants in the state where their eatry centers are likely to attract tourists who come into the state, provided the restaurants operators are willing to come and register with the tourism Bureau to enhance regulations so as to attain certain standards.
Also speaking to the media soon after the presentation in Calabar is the Senior Special Assistant to Governnor Otu on General Duties, Barrister Ekpenyong Akiba.
He said that the reason for such gesture to hotel owners is to ensure employment generation in the private sector of the state.
He also said that tourism sector value chains must be expanded to ensure that it creates opportunity for more employment because it is the sector that the state has competitive advantage for development.
