Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has assured that hospitality facilities owned by the state government will no longer operate at a loss under his administration.
The Governor gave the assurance while answering questions from Government House correspondents after inspecting ongoing renovation works at the Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort.
Governor Eno explained that Akwa Ibom has several hospitality facilities, including the Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, the Four Points by Sheraton in Ikot Ekpene, the developing ARISE Resort, and facilities in Lagos and Abuja. He stressed that these establishments must be managed as profit-driven ventures.
“We can’t put so much money into facilities like this, and they keep reporting deficit because we want an international brand. We can be our own brand,” he stated.
To achieve this, the Governor, who is a Fellow of the Nigerian Hotel and Catering Institute (NHCI), revealed that a strategic hospitality management group will be set up to create and sustain a state-owned brand.
“Five or six years ago, Ibom Air was not a brand, but today, it is a brand to reckon with. You can create your brand. Each and everyone of us has our identity. It is now left for us to develop our identity,” he said.
Governor Eno also called on indigenous professionals in the hospitality industry, both at home and abroad, to contribute to the growth of Akwa Ibom’s hospitality sector.
“There is no hotel in this country that you will not find an Akwa Ibom son or daughter at the hierarchy of management. So we call on them to return home and put that same energy in turning around our hotel facilities,” he urged.
He emphasized that experienced hoteliers of Akwa Ibom origin who have made their mark in the industry will be given the opportunity to showcase their expertise in running state facilities.
The Governor noted that his visit was to check prototype rooms and confirm their readiness for use before the December festive season.
“Once we sort this out, I am told we should be able to deliver the first 40 rooms in October, so that we can start using it in December, preparatory for Christmas,” he explained.
He further disclosed that the facility upgrade would be carried out in phases until the hotel undergoes a complete transformation.
Governor Eno pointed out that Akwa Ibom possesses valuable hospitality assets that require professionalism in key areas such as front desk management, housekeeping, engineering, reservations, and audit. He stressed that these areas will be harmonized to create an operational manual that guarantees uniform standards across all state-owned facilities.
“This is necessary and important so that if I am here in Uyo or in Abuja, we already know the standard and it would be the same. Uniforms, attitude, and the likes must be the same. It takes a lot of training and retraining to achieve that,” he said.
During the inspection, the Governor toured sections of the facility undergoing renovation. He was accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, members of the State Executive Council, delivery advisors, and other officials.
Governor Eno reiterated that the hospitality sector in Akwa Ibom will be repositioned to ensure profitability, boost tourism, and create sustainable jobs for the people.