By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
Governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu has revoked the concession agreement granted CIBA Construction Company Limited to manage the Obudu Cattle Ranch Resort for failure to fulfill the contractual agreement it’s signed with the state government.
Our correspondent gathered that CIBA was unable to meet up with the terms of agreement, leaving the ranch in a deteriorated state rather than improving the infrastructural facilities and services needed.
A source who doesn’t want his name in print because he was unauthorized to speak on the matter told our correspondent that the concession, granted under the administration of Senator Ben Ayade, tasked CIBA with certain responsibilities including designing, financing, building, operating, maintaining, and ultimately transforming the ranch under a public-private partnership agreement.
Findings however revealed that the firm neglected key development obligations, particularly those outlined in Sections 5.0, 6.0, and 14.0(b) of the agreement.
Part of what angered the government to revoked the contract with the firm include failure to invest in the renovation of the Resort’s hotel and other areas which would have added value to the resort.
Failure by the CIBA to live up to expectation led to the revocation of the contract by the state government.
Sequel to the termination of the contract, the state governor, Otu has directed the Special Adviser and Chief Executive Officer, CEO of the Obudu Ranch Resort, Sunday Michael and other stakeholders to commence the process of upgrading the facilities at the ranch.
A letter dated February 18, from the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, sighted by our correspondent justified decision of the state government for terminating the contract.
So far many Cross Riverians have praised Governor Otu for taking a proactive measures to ensure that the ranch resort regain its lost glory, hailing the governor for the intervention.
One of the entrepreneurs and business owners at Obanlikwu within the ranch resort, Patricia Ushie stated that the move by the governor was a step in the right direction to salvage business activities in the ranch from total collapsed.
She said, “The step taken by the state governor is a step in the right direction, and one of the drastic measures taken by the governor to rescue the ranch from facing a setback.”
