By Magnus Effiong
The government of Cross River State has explained why it has so far given out about N50 millions as grants to hoteliers and restaurant operators in the State.
PillarToday reports that in a Tourism Award event held at the Monty Suit, Calabar, Thursday, 20 hoteliers were given N1million each while each of the 14 restaurant operators who attended the event got N500,000. Reports say, that was the third time the Calabar-based administration was giving out grants to the hospitality sector.
Speaking, the Special Adviser to Governor Otu on General Duties, Barr Ekpenyong Akiba said “This gesture is one of the deliberate policies of the administration of His Excellency Governor Bassey Otu aimed at encouraging this set of our people to upgrade their services due to the fact that tourism, which is also an employer of labour, is growing bigger in Cross River State.
“The industry has a lot of opportunities and helps in creating jobs, enhance our culture, values and even development. In terms of revenue generation, it is also up there. We cannot allow such sector to dwindle due to paucity of funds for maintenance of facilities.
“The token given out is to encourage and prepare our hospitality sector to be ready to host the world with top notch facilities. Cross River must be ready to withstand developmental pressure,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of the State Tourism Bureau, Mr Ekpenyong Ojoi, said between last year and now, the State government has so far given out about 50 million Naira to hoteliers and restaurants operators.
“”By the time His Excellency completes his eight years in office, he would have injected nothing less than N300m as grants into the hospitality sector This is so because every year, he is injecting about N5O million,” he stated.
He charged hoteliers to reciprocate the gesture by upgrading facilities and giving visitors quality service, adding that by doing so fun lovers would always return to the state as a tourism destination.
On the conditions to meet before one could benefit from the grant, Mr Ojoi said “the hotel must meet basic standard, must register with the State Tourism Bureau and also register with Hotels Association in the State to become beneficiaries.”
Chairman of the Hotels Association, Charles Ogar, in his goodwill message, described the gesture as unprecedented. He restated the resolve of his colleagues to render service to the delight of fun lovers, tourists and all those who would visit Calabar for the forthcoming Carnival Calabar and other events in the State.