A hotel and resort meant to serve as sporting and leisure infrastructure is soon to be constructed in Calabar, Cross River State, apparently in consideration of the peaceful nature of the state. The projected is to be undertaken by private investors, in partnership with the state government.
Chief Executive Officer of SRHD Sports Management, the investors, Mr Daniel Daramola, during a visit to the state governor, Prince Bassey Otu, where the prototype of the facility was unveiled, noted that when completed, the state’s economy would receive a boost and employment opportunities created.
Daramola told the governor that the partnership between the two parties would go a long way to impacting the state through sports while the revenue base of the state would also be buoyed up.
The project consultant and team lead, Edulumen Nigeria Limited, Dr. Samjeh Oscar, while presenting a slide show of the project said the sports and leisure project would also serve as accommodation for athletes in the state.
An elated governor, in his response said his administration would continue to provide a level playing ground for private sector partnership in the development of the sports ecosystem of the state.
The governor pointed out that sports, all over the world, have developed from being a mere leisure activity to a money-spinning venture, hinting that Cross River state is following in this same direction.
“The dynamics of time and cost content have made it crucial for the private sector to join and partner in the financing for sports to thrive and meet global standards. The football and other sports we enjoy today take a lot of investment to make it happen. As a state, sport is very important to us. We need to open our doors to mutually beneficial private sector partnerships to take our sports sector forward”, he asserted.
Otu said the cheering development of modernizing the facility which houses athletes and officials during sporting events has also made the renovation of the sports stadium a necessity. “We will be looking for an investor to partner with the Cross River State Government to turn the stadium into a very beautiful sporting facility,” he alerted investors.
He urged the sports ministry and investment partners to speed up paperwork and swing into action, with a call on quality service delivery.
“I am particularly interested in talent hunting. We want to collaborate with relevant agencies to scout for talents, home them, and launch them into the world of sports. Cross River state is abundantly blessed with talents capable of taking the sports world by storm,” the governor added.
