By Balimwor Ekpe
Hon. Chief Abubakar Robert Ewa is the commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture in Cross River State. In an engagement with our reporter, he reeled out the ongoing activities, achievements and action plan of his ministry.
As Honourable Commissioner For Tourism, Arts and Culture, How has it been, serving in this ministry?
I will first of all express my gratitude to the Governor, His Excellency Sen. Prince Bassey Edet Otu for finding me worthy to serve in his executive cabinet as commissioner and also in a ministry that has a lot to do with hospitality and impacting on human lives. the journey in this ministry is laborious but the Governor who has stood tall to give quick response to our challenges has made it easy for me and the staff who have also been so supportive to me through the good working relationship we have maintained to ensure we deliver in the mandate of the ministry.
Can you please speak on the mandate of your ministry?
The key mandate of this ministry is to ensure that Cross River State remains the tourism destination of Nigeria as it has always been, also development of more tour sites in the state, establish improved security architecture in the different tour sites for the safety and pleasure of tourists and our people inclusive, Training and developing of talented young people to fit into the world class artistic industry.
Having served as commissioner for the Past five months in this ministry, what achievements have you recorded so far?
With God who has been on my side, alot has been achieved with support from the Governor, Sen. Prince Bassey Otu who’s mantra is “People First”. when I came on board, the staff of the Obudu ranch resort were still receiving salaries on table pay by hand and were owed 2014,2015 and other years salary arrears which we have been able to pay them 2015 – 2018 through their bank accounts, waiting for the 2019 – 2023 which the Governor has approved and would be paid any moment from now as soon as the civil service verification exercise is concluded, also the ranch resort staff have been converted into the civil service and posted to different MDA’s.
We have also brought in a new company named Silver and Mariot to manage the ranch resort, Note that Mariot is a brand and we are lucky to have them accept our offer. all thanks to Governor Bassey Otu.
When I came on board, i discovered the department of culture and heritage at cultural center had part time artist who have been there for over fifteen years but the Governor in his magnanimity has also moved them to the main civil service.
We have also secured the sum of five billion naira in the federal Government budget for this year, and the money is mainly for the development of tourism sites in the state.
Apart from the Obudu ranch resort, what is your ministry doing to develop other tourism sites in the state?
In November 2023, we embarked on a tour to all the tour in the sites in the state, which are the Agbokim waterfalls, Mary slessor , Quafalls, Cross River National Park, Nnam and Nkarasi monolith and the Obudu ranch resort which we have captured in the budget and will develop them to be ready for our tourists to always visit and gain pleasure. we no longer want a situation where tourism activities end after the Calabar international carnival, we want tourists to still visit and tour round our state at all times.
For the Agbokim waterfalls, we will install sophisticated rails and bud concrete steps from the top leading down to ensure guidance and safety of tourists visiting the water park.
We are also partnering with Sterling bank who now has department of tourism and are ready to assist us especially in the development of the Quafalls.
Does your ministry have vision towards developing the cultural festivals that hold annually in different communities of the state?
As ministry with the responsibility to oversee and develop Tourism, Arts and Culture in the state we are doing everything possible to develop our cultural festivals and potentials in the state. last year we attended the second edition of the Bakassi fishing festival where the Governor donated the sum of One Million Naira to the organizers of the festival as part of state Government encouragement and support, we are also participating in Okpambe fishing festival in Obubra, the Mbube new yam festival, the Popular leboku and cassava festival in Boki and all this festivals will get more support from Government. also we have the Mbamba Cafe that can accommodate a whole community and we are still developing new tourism sites to add to the already existing ones.
What is your ministry doing to encourage talented young Cross Riverians who have passion for the Art, tourism and cultural Industry?
The creative economy is thriving and for young people who have come to the ministry and exhibited their talents, but lacked resources to advance their career, we have recommended several of them to the Governor and they have all received support. young people who have talents should come to us and we will partner with them to develop and enable them create wealth for themselves through the talents they have. we also partner with the ministry of arts and creative economy to enable us exhibit our talents here and display them to the world.
Do you have any advice or word of encouragement for Cross Riverians?
To Cross Riverians, let us continue to support the optimum and lofty policies of Governor Bassey Otu, always have it in mind that Cross River is a tourism destination State and tourism is a collective responsibility that can add to bettering lives because when we have completed the development of the different sites, the community will make available their youths to be trained for tour guiding. we are lucky we now have the federal institute of hospitality and tourism in Cross River State.
People should also see tourism as a wealth creating industry that will profit them devoid of age, religion, social and even accademic status. Tourism is part of life.
God bless Cross Riverians.
