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| Hon Nsidibe Akata presenting his motion |
This was part of the resolution sought by Member Representing Eket State Constituency, Hon Nsidibe Akata during Tuesday's plenary.
Presenting a motion titled, "Motion For Resolution To Investigate The Reactivation,
Upgrade And Repositioning Of Qua River Hotel, Eket", Akata said the Hotel was establish in Eket in 1972 when Late Brigadier General U. J. Esuene was the Military Governor of the then South Eastern State, Nigeria.
He Noted that the Hotel was a unique brand, pride and reference point of Eket in particular and the mainland part of South Eastern State.
"Notes also that Qua River Hotel was a unique brand, pride and reference point of Eket in particular and the mainland part of South Eastern State, being the only such institution in the tourism and hospitality industry in the
State".
The Eket representative said he was worried that Qua River Hotel due to bad management like most other government businesses after the creation of Akwa Ibom State and in 1996, the Hotel went under completely.
He said the state government in 1996 list the hotel as one of the ailing government -owned companies and was later privatised the company for reactivation, upgrade and repositioning to Ekpoudia Enterprises Ltd. on 20 July 2001.
He however, informed the House that the facility has not be reactivated, repositioning or upgrade after 22 years, noting that the building was being used for criminal activities.
"Aware that sometime in 1996 Akwa Ibom State Government listed the Hotel as one of the ailing government-owned Companies for reactivation through the Akwa Ibom Investment and Industrial Promotion Council (AKIPOC);
"Aware that Akwa Ibom Investment and Industrial Promotion Council (AKIIPOC) now Akwa lbom Investment Corporation (AKICORP) privatized the company for reactivation, upgrade and repositioning to Ekpoudia Enterprises Ltd. on 20 July 2001;
"Worried that about 22 years after the so-called sale/privatization, Qua River Hotel is neither reactivated, upgraded nor repositioned whereas its physical assets are dilapidated and balkanized. The abandoned buildings
are now den for robbers, hideouts for kidnappers and other criminal activities; a matter of grave concern for the Ekid community at home and in the diaspora.
Akata who said he was disturbed by agitation of the land owners to take back their land due to abandonment of the hotel, urge the House to invite Akwa lbom Investment Corporation (AKICORP) and Ekpoudia Enterprises Ltd. for interrogation and fact finding on the failed reactivation of the hotel.
In their contributions, member representing Nsit Ubium State Constituency Rt Hon. Otobong Bob and member representing Nsit Atai State Constituency, Hon Aniefiok Attah said there was urgent need to reactivate the hotel which will also serves as tourism attraction to state.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Udeme Otong referred the matter to the committee on Industry, Commerce and Tourism to investigate and report back to the House.
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