Gov. Otu: Why we are investing in hotels across Cross River

From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar

The Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, says his administration is investing in hotels to scale up their capacity and ensure visitors have a memorable experience in the state.

Governor Otu disclosed this in Calabar during the presentation of grants to hotels in the Northern and Southern Senatorial District of the state alongside grants to selected restaurants.

Governor Otu, represented by his deputy Chief of Staff Boniface Okache said he also understands the state leads the tourism industry in the country and he hopes to sustain this in the hospitality sector.

“We understand clearly that tourism is synonymous with Cross River State and also we lead the tourism industry in Nigeria.

” We are also aware that as we look forward to this year’s carnival, hotels in the state will experience an influx of visitors.

“We have decided to assist the with this grant to help them upgrade their facilities so that with the expected influx of visitors they can have a memorable experience in the state”, he said.

Giving some insight into the grant, the Chairman of the Cross River State Tourism Bureau Prince Ojoi Ekpenyong said “ten hotels in the Northern senatorial district of the state will get one million naira each.

“Similarly, ten hotels in the southern senatorial district will also get one million naira each.

” Beyond this, fifteen bars and restaurants in the state will each receive a grant of five hundred thousand naira”, he said.

He said within the past year, the government has doled out over fifth five million naira grants to hotels across the state.

On his part, Ekpenyong Akiba, the Special Adviser to the governor on General Duties said the government is deliberate and intentional about development and tourism is one of the platforms to actualise this.