Governor Bassey Otu Has Performed Tremendously Well In His One Year Of Being In Offic, Revamped Decayed Infrastructures And Made The State Secured And Safe For Us And Tourists - Hon Abubakar Ewa

Hon. Abubakar Ewa, Commissioner For Tourism, Arts And Culture, Cross River State During An Exclusive Interview With Correspondent's Of Niger Delta Legacy TV And Magazine, Speaks On The Tourism Sector Of The State And Achievements Of The Governor Of Cross River State Sen(Prince) Bassey Otu In His One Year Of Governance.

 SIR CAN WE KNOW MORE ABOUT YOU?

I am Honorable Abubakar Robert Ewa, Commissioner, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Cross River State. 

CAN YOU SHARE WITH US ON HOW YOU ARRIVED THIS CRADLE OF LEADERSHIP AS COMMISSIONER FOR TOURISM, ARTS AND CULTURE ?

I arrived here on the prerogative of the Governor, His Excellency Sen(Prince) Bassey Edet Otu who found me fit to serve in his administration and went ahead to nominate me, i went through a screening and confirmation process in the State House of Assembly, after which I was announced commissioner for Tourism, Arts And Culture during the swearing in of Commissioners and by the grace of God, I am living up to the expectations of the ministry in the delivery of my basic duties to my Boss, the Executive Governor and Cross River State at large.

 WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON TOURISM IN CROSS RIVER STATE?

Cross River is a tourism destination state and as a ministry established and given mandate to manage the tourism sector of the state, we are doing our best to maintain and promote tourism activities over here by bringing in and awakening more innovations like the carnival calabar, which is the best in Nigeria. we are going about eco-tourism which is a sector that deals with the communities as the communities will benefit more because there will be tour guiding, food vendor in restaurants, transportation and even the pure water sellers which are the value chain of the eco-tourism will make money for themselves.

 CAN YOU SHARE WITH US THE VISION OF THE GOVERNOR REGARDING TOURISM IN CROSS RIVER STATE?

The foundation of tourism in Cross River State was laid by the former Governor of Cross River State, His Excellency Mr. Donald Duke in 2003, what Governor Bassey Otu is doing is consolidating and also breaking the ground to expanding the views. Our present governor is ensuring that development touches areas that were not touched, examples are the infrastructural route with 24 hours lightening, the roads are been rehabilitated, there is provision of security because tourism cannot strive where there is threat to security and no visitor will risk coming to your state when the security strength is porous. His Excellency has been able to make the state secured and safe for all. 

Even in the hospitality sector, he has done so well by supporting the hotels for the first time with One (₦1,000,000) million naira each, which has gone a long way in motivating hotel owners revamp and manage their outfits, He has also brought in the Nigerian Institute of tourism to Cross River State.

THE GOVERNOR WOULD BE CELEBRATING HIS ONE YEAR IN OFFICE IN FEW DAYS, WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ABOUT HIS ONE YEAR IN OFFICE?

The Governor has performed tremendously well in his one year in office and should be applauded for that as his achievements are very glaring to me, you and everyone living and doing business in the State. He assumed office with a People's First Mantra which is poised towards improving the living standard of Cross Riverians and just in one year we have all felt the pleasant impact of the People's First Agenda of my Boss, the Sweet Prince of Cross River State, for example the Obudu ranch resort has been revamped and is back for business. He is bringing back the Obudu international mountain race which is a sporting event that usually traffic in Lot's of tourist's and investors to the State, He has invested on security and made sure people can walk freely without being molested, he has been able to rehabilitate the roads and made more roads motorable. He has refurbished the dacayed infrastructures and even the architecture of the cultural center has been reviewed. the cardinal point of every community is security and the governor has settled that by exterminating insecurity in the State as investors are now attracted to come into the state because no one will come to a toxic and hostile environment. 

As I stated earlier, Governor Bassey Otu has performed tremendously well in his one year in office, he has revamped decayed infrastructures and strengthened the security of the State which has made the State Secured and Safe For us and tourists. Note that, Governor Otu is very intentional about improving the welfare of Cross Riverians.

WHAT IS YOUR DESCRIPTION OF THE MAN, HIS EXCELLENCY SEN.PRINCE BASSEY OTU?

Prince Bassey Otu is a humble and gentleman, a good leader who listens and his administration is like an aircraft taking off which initially seemed like he was running slow but had taken off greatly. 

CAN YOU SHARE WITH US YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR IN THE TOURISM SECTOR?

This is a sector that suffered stagnation due to covid. Part of our achievements is bringing in Nigerian Institute of Hospitality and Tourism to grow capacity back on the table as a world class tourism destination, We have created employment at the cultural Centre, and all the tourism staff who were owed by Government have been paid the salaries.

Tourism is not tourism until it is sold. 

We have the best tour sites in Nigeria and we are developing our tour sites through public partnerships. 

CAN YOU SHARE WITH US YOUR PLANS AND VISION FOR THE TOURISM SECTOR IN CROSS RIVER STATE?

I have alot of plans for the Cross River State tourism sector, we have claimed ownership of our facilities and only leasing them out to private sectors which will create more employment opportunities for the citizens, because our vision is centered on community based tourism. 

 WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO THE GOVERNOR ON TOURISM RELATED MATTERS?

The Governor should sustain and continue in the good governance he has started, he should continue to drive the tourism vision in him which is making us play the center forward role in the tourism industry in Nigeria. 

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE FORTH COMING CALABAR CARNIVAL? 

The Calabar carnival is going to be better than the previous years, we will start early this year, reduce the rate of government expenditure, make it owned and managed by the private sectors as Government will provide the security and infrastructures to make it the best. 

 FINALLY, A GOODWILL MESSAGE TO THE GOVERNOR AS HE MARK'S HIS ONE YEAR IN OFFICE?

I pray to God to grant him good health, wisdom, guidance and grace to continue in his salutary Governance that has brought about a lot of transformation in our state, also God bless the wife of our governor who has been supportive to the vision of her husband and has brought back the Children Carnival to be better and more entertaining.

Governor Bassey Otu is a core humanitarian and that makes his emergence as Governor, a blessing to Cross River State, we are all enjoying his administration, let us unanimously support his activities and continue to pray for him with looking forward to a more developed and greater Cross River State through his administration - Hon. Abubakar Ewa concluded.