The Cross River Government says work has begun on a N4 billion entertainment center located at the famous Tortugal Island, Marina Resort, Calabar.
Mr Ojoi Ekpenyong, the Managing Director, Cross River Tourism Bureau, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Tuesday.
Ekpeyong said that the centre, a private sector driven project, was part of the ongoing efforts to boost tourism and revenue in the state.
“When completed, the center will create about 250 permanent jobs. No fewer than 700 workers are expected to participate in the implementation process,” he said.
He said that the center would have lounges for different categories of customers, a children arcade and facility for water sports.
“The centre will attract people from different parts of the world. The intention is to return the hospitality glory of the state.
“We want to use this project to tell our story as Cross River people. A place known for hospitality.
“The center is expected to generate a minimum of N10 million daily, it will boost the local economy,” he said.
The managing director further said that plans are underway to concession the Qua Fall resort in Akamkpa to enhance its economic viability.
“Qua Fall is an ecotourism facility, we shall soon conclude plans with a private entity to take over the facility,” he said.
Cross River targets top educationally developed status
In the mean time, the state government has announced its ambitious goal of elevating the State to the top tier of educationally developed States in Nigeria.
Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday (today, August 13, in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, Mr Esu Esu, Chairman, Cross River Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) emphasised the state’s commitment to rewriting its educational history by implementing strategic initiatives aimed at improving school enrollment and educational infrastructure.
“We are determined to move Cross River from being an educationally disadvantaged state to one that ranks among the best in the nation.
“To achieve this, we need everyone’s effort to improve school enrollment and develop infrastructure to a level where we can compete with other leading states,” he said.
He explained that as part of the effort, SUBEB is set to commence a comprehensive needs assessment to identify schools facing infrastructure challenges.
According to him, the findings will inform a detailed work plan, which will be submitted to the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC) in Abuja for approval.
The chairman said that on assumption of office, he inherited a SUBEB grappling with severe infrastructural decay, but assured that his mission is to lead the board from its current state to where they envisioned it to be that of a beacon of educational excellence.
On the issue of teacher-student ratio, Esu said efforts would be made to address staffing shortages by seeking approval from the Governor for the recruitment of additional teachers.
Esu disclosed that in 2023, SUBEB implemented 49 interventions in schools across the state, disclosing that this year, there are plans to double the number to 100 to broaden impact across the educational sector.
The chairman, therefore, urged the media and residents to support the board’s technical team by identifying remote areas in urgent need of educational infrastructure upgrade.
“This will ensure that even the most hard-to-reach communities benefit from the state’s educational reforms,” he said.
He also pledged to tackle the issue of ghost workers within the educational system by leveraging his experience in school board management to reduce malpractice.
“Many people are defrauding the system by collecting salaries without working. I commit to address this issue head-on and ensure accountability within our educational system,” he said.
