Less than two weeks after a momentous groundbreaking ceremony for an expected Calabar’s first five-star hotel by the Cross River State Governor, Benedict Ayade in Calabar, residents have expressed disbelief and uncertainty in the actualisation of the project.
The disbelief and uncertainty expressed by residents are mostly attributed to the stipulated completion time frame of the project, as Governor Ayade in his words had mentioned a seven-month completion time frame for the project.
The 5-Star hospitality facility is approved to be situated along the Murtala Muhammed Highway Calabar and is an investment by Indigo Hotels, owned by Mr Manoj Jagtiani, an Sri Lankan investor.
According to Governor Ayade at the groundbreaking event, “this hotel is bringing something very special. We can’t be saying Cross River and indeed Calabar is the centre of tourism in Nigeria when indeed we don’t even have a hotel that we can identify as a five-star hotel for guests to stay in.
“A lot of investors coming in will start looking for where to sleep. I have a special regard for my dear friend, Mr Jagtiani who thought it necessary to invest in Cross River State. This hotel is something that is iconic and defines Calabar as an iconic, beautiful and outstanding city”.
However, some residents are in doubt that the groundbreaking was just a show-off.
“I am Johnson Okokon, I am sick and fed up with the numerous groundbreakings we have had since 2015. President Buhari is yet to come and commission the superhighway and Bakassi Deep Seaport, which he performed a huge groundbreaking on in 2015. So how different will this hotel project be? It is just a show-off, I don’t believe in the certainty of this mockery,”, the respondent remarked.
Similarly, a hotel manager, Mrs Augustina Ejike, believed that Governor Ayade on his part hadn’t done much for the hospitality sector, by matching words with actions.
“I don’t like listening to the governor most times because he hasn’t proven his ability to do his talk for the hospitality sector since he assumed office”, Ejike submitted
Also, A lawyer, Christian Edikemfon, said, “Unfortunately, he (the Governor) has indirectly belittled the same hospitality and tourism sectors he attempted to promote.
“Before now, Cross River was booming in tourism and hospitality. didn’t we do it all without 5-star hotels? You see, when a man is drowning, he will cast blames on even the dead leaves on the waters,” he argued.
A university lecturer, Dr Adams Unimke, is of the opinion that, “His Excellency Benedict Ayade is not ready to grow Cross River, let everyone remove their mind from his government, he is taking the state to nowhere”.
Meanwhile, going by the seven months period mentioned by the governor, the hotel is expected to be completed by April 2023, before the inauguration of the next administration.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
“Until that’s law, we won’t fix this. Labour should adopt it now. It’s time to…
The distinction between speculation and real utility is growing sharper. While some investors focus on…
The Anambra State government has imposed a one-month suspension on Blossom Fount School in Awka…
Governors of Ondo, Oyo, Ekiti, Osun, Ogun and Oyo states on Saturday paid glowing tributes…
Mercy Aigbe has taken a moment to celebrate her journey in the Nigerian movie industry,…
THE World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised an alarm that 42 percent of nurses in…
This website uses cookies.