By: Achiane Adams, CRS-MOI Officer reporting from Ministry of Culture and Tourism Development
The Cross River State Ministry of Culture and Tourism Development (MCTD) and the Greater Calabar Capital City Development Authority (GCCCDA), have agreed to forge a synergy that will support Governor Ben Ayade’s developmental strides for the city of Calabar and six other Local Government Areas that make up the Southern Senatorial District of the State.
This decision to synergize was made known during a courtesy call on the Commissioner, Mr. Eric Anderson, by the Chairman, Mr. Bassey Effiom, the Director General, Mr. Kingsley Ita Ikpeme, and members of the Authority at his office in Calabar.
Mr. Anderson said the visit is timely, as in no distant future, Cross River State as a whole will be overwhelmed by the benefits of the industrial revolution being championed by the Governor Ben Ayade led administration and as such, the city of Calabar and her neighbors need to plan for the future.
The Commissioner added that the tourism industry remains an integral part of the economic growth of the State, and as such the Ministry will support the Greater Calabar Capital City mandate by ensuring that all things tourism are up to standard in line with international best practices.
Thanking the Commissioner for pledging his personal and the Ministry’s support, the Chairman, Greater Calabar Capital City Development Authority, Mr. Bassey Effiom, said the objective of the Authority is centred on sanitation, housing, transportation and road network.
Mr. Effiom said that the LGAs in the Southern Senatorial District which comprises of Akpabuyo, Akampka, Bakassi, Biase, Calabar Municipality, Calabar South and Odukpani, will all enjoy the benefits of the Greater Calabar projects.
The Director General, Mr. Kingsley Ita Ikpeme, pointed out that the GCCCDA, is also saddled with the responsibility of educating and sensitizing the general public on the need to have residential areas separated from industrial areas, stating that it is wrong to site a petroleum/gas station at a residential area due to unforeseen circumstances that can be terribly disastrous.
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