By Ike Uchechukwu

CALABAR—The Cross River State Government, yesterday,  signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mac Creeds and Tom Consortium for the upgrade of Tinapa Lakeside Hotel in Calabar and Obudu Ranch Resort in Obanliku.

Governor Ben Ayade

By the MoU, the consortium will reconstruct the two facilities so as to optimise their tourism value in the state and Nigeria.

It was signed on behalf of the government by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Joe Abang, alongside his colleague in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Eric Anderson.

Speaking with journalists after a brief ceremony in the state Ministry of Justice, Calabar, Principal Partner, Mac Creeds and Tom Consortium, Mr. Kanu Signor, said the consortium in collaboration with technical partners from South Africa and Spain, will invest N5bn in the projects.

He said, “We intend to hit the ground running by January. We are going to invest N5bn. The construction will start   from January. We intend doing a bridge that will link Tinapa with Calabar International Conference Centre to ease vehicular access. So, we are looking at  doing substantial work within the first 12 months and we would not shut down while doing the construction work.”

On his part, the state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism said the facility upgrade will further bring the tourism potentials of the state to limelight.

Anderson said: “We have entered into an agreement with Mac Creeds and Tom Consortium to take over the management of Obudu Ranch Resort and Tinapa Lakeside Resort.  In Cross River, we are known as one destination for tourism. This agreement will only affect the hotel element of Tinapa Business Centre and not the entire facility.”

“We want the Italian Government to urgently intervene to save the lives of millions of rural dwellers in the area and other parts of the state where similar situation exists,” they added.