“Now, Cross River spends at least N100 million to maintain Tinapa every month and the current administration has done everything to make Tinapa work.
“If you go there today, the small money they are making is from the hotel or water park. But the state government has done everything possible to make Tinapa work and increase its footfalls,’’ he added.
Ita stressed that the location of Tinapa had somewhat encouraged the state government to start the development of an estate called Summit Hills.
“The state government is building the new Summit Hills Development Area and that is where the government is constructing the International Convention Centre.
“The government has constructed a new road there because it realised that the distance between Tinapa and the city-centre is about 14 kilometres. This new road shortens the distance by almost eight or nine kilometres, bringing Tinapa closer to the city centre.
“Get this clear, AMCON is not just taking over Tinapa; it is investing N26 billion in the resort to enable it to function optimally.
“Tinapa is in Cross River and nobody is taking it away from us. If Tinapa works, it is to the glory of Cross River.
“AMCON is investing N26 billion to develop the entertainment aspect of the Tinapa resort to increase its patronage; there is no controversy over Tinapa,’’ he added.
Ita, however, listed some factors inhibiting the growth potential of Tinapa.
“There was no government policy on Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort and Tinapa was never gazetted. You call it a free trade zone but the Nigeria Customs Service is always there.
“If you buy anything at Tinapa now, the Customs will be waiting for you at the gate. Does that kind of arrangement apply in Dubai?
“Besides, the Tinapa project was predicated on the assumption that about 25 flights would come into Calabar everyday and that roughly 80 percent of those flying in would be possibly going to Tinapa but that is not the case now.
“For those who are supposed to make use of Tinapa, the road between Aba and Calabar is bad. Similarly, people from the north-eastern and north-central parts of the country are afraid of travelling to Calabar because of the bad roads and the low canopy at the Ikom Bridge.
“The Calabar channel into the Calabar Port has not been dredged and large oceangoing vessels cannot berth there.
“So, these are part of the factors militating against the fulfilment of the Tinapa dream,’’ he added.
Ita solicited the assistance of the Federal Government in efforts to make Tinapa functional.
“For instance, for Tinapa to become truly functional, the Calabar River ought to be dredged to enable ships to berth there and the federal highways linking Tinapa with other parts of the country should also be rehabilitated.
“Then, the issue of customs has to be addressed. It is, however, important to note that only the Federal Government could address these particular issues.
“That notwithstanding, the state government has gone in to rescue Tinapa by retailing some things there.
“For instance, the state government has given out one of the emporiums in the resort to the General Electric (GE) for its training school, which will start operations very soon,’’ he said.
All in all, observers underscore the need for all the stakeholders to make concerted efforts to revitalise Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort because of its vast economic potential. (NANFeatures)
