Nigeria: Cross River Calls On Federal Gov’t In Repairing Damaged Properties During #Endsars Riot

The Cross River State is seeking the support of the Federal Government for the repair of 156 properties destroyed in the state during the last #endsars protest that took place across the country.

The State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Eric Anderson made this request when he received Governing Council Members of the Federation of Tourism Associations in Nigeria [FTAN], who are in the state for its Quarterly Council Meeting in Calabar.

He told the members that 156 Properties belonging to individuals, firms, State Government and Federal Government worth about N73billion were destroyed during the protest.

Anderson said that the state government has so far repaired the Waterparks at Tinapa and the Art and Craft Village just in time for Christmas last year.

The governing council meeting holding in Calabar is the first physical meeting by any tourism association in Nigeria since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

Ambassador Ikechi Uko a member of the Board of Trustees had earlier led the members to pay a courtesy call on the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly Rt. Hon.William Eteng.

Receiving the members in the chambers the Speaker explained why the Carnival Calabar was cancelled last year. He said that knowing that the tourism family was disappointed with the cancellation he needed to explain what the House of Assembly did.

The State House of Assembly had cancelled the hosting of the carnival based on the Covid-19 pandemic. He thanked the members for choosing Calabar for its first physical meeting.

The First Deputy National President of FTAN, Nkereuwem Onung representing the National President Alhaji. Rabo Saleh told the Speaker that FTAN decided to host a physical meeting to kick-start tourism events across the nation.

He said that Zoom meetings are not good for the tourism industry.

“If People don’t move, tourism would not work, so the movement has to begin within the accepted health protocols”.

Onung pleaded with the Speaker that the state should host the Carnival this year even if it will be controlled.

He told the Speaker that tourism is the most affected industry in Nigeria and yet no support or subsidy has been extended to the members.