Pay As You Lodge: Government Officials Barred From Free Accommodation At Obudu Ranch

Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State has
placed a ban on free accommodation at the Obudu
Ranch Resort for political appointees and other
government officials.
The governor made this announcement during a
post-mountain race press conference at the
plateau, saying henceforth, any government official
wishing to lodge at the famous resort must be
prepared to pick his or her feeding and
accommodation bills.
According to him, the government’s decision
became imperative to enable tourists have access
to the mountain race championship because the
number of visitors has always been checked by the
number of government officials who are
accommodated within the resort.
“I do not mind getting accommodated at Obudu
town or nearby Ogoja to enable tourists from within
and outside the country be accommodated in the
resort,” he said.
On the economic value of the championship, the
governor explained that it had made tremendous
social and economic impact and had created value
for the young ones who participate while its
greatest asset is the promotion of mountain race.
On the status of the Obudu Mountain Resort, the
governor reasoned that like in East Africa, it should
have been taken over by the federal government
and classified a national heritage, and that a
partnership with federal government could assist
combat its challenges like that of the access road.
The governor revealed that the state had spent
N1.5 billion to install facilities at the Bebi Airstrip to
enhance hitch-free air travel, and that similar
equipment are found only in Lagos and Abuja
airports, but unfortunately the domestic traffic to
the ranch has not yet hit its peak.
He however noted that the United Nations and its
agencies, government of other states, etc organise
workshops there.