CROSS RIVER: IMOKE WELCOMES ETISALAT
Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State has urged the management of Etisalat, a GSM Service provider, to see the State as one of the major places in Nigeria to do business.
According to Imoke while receiving Mr. Steven Evans, Chief Executive Officer and the Management Staff of the company during a courtesy call, despite being the most peaceful state in the country, government in its determination to make the state investor’s haven, irrespective of its lean resources from federal allocation, has created incentives for the private sector thrive successfully.
Apart from that, the Governor disclosed that the State Government is committed to create a rapid economic growth which makes Calabar one of the key cities for the company to do business, adding that the choice of Calabar as the venue of the company’s first retreat, since its inception a year ago shows its belief in the state as well as its level of progress within this period.
Imoke said this decision would inform the people of another service provider in the state which is in a healthy competition with others, stressing that it is the state’s vision to create a destination in Nigeria as well as create an environment for leisure and economic development and wealth for the people.
The Governor invited the company to participate in the Calabar Festival while in Calabar as well as explore areas of sponsorship in the 32 days fun filled programme as well as in Calabar Carnival, which debuted five years ago, which has grown significantly as Africa’s biggest street party.
According to him, this is a landmark and has created values and is an event that can create market value for those who choose to partner the state in its promotions as sponsors.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat, Mr. Steven Evans, said their visit though a prelude their leadership retreat in Calabar, was to intimate the governor of the company’s commencement of operations in Cross River with 10 cites in Calabar as well as the beginning of live service from network with the hope of extending the service to other parts of the state, explaining that they chose to come to Calabar for the senior management retreat because the people are helpful and friendly and saw the town as a nice place to get away from the congestion and confusion of Lagos.
Evans promised to send a representative of the company to attend and appraise the Calabar Carnival with the view of playing an active role next year, after realizing its opportunities. Later in an interview with newsmen, the Chief Executive Officer explained that the company commenced operations in Nigeria in October last year in seven biggest cities and has begun business in Calabar, adding that it affords Cross Riverians opportunities to open retail shops as well as employment for staff to look after the network and generators, while it was an unanimous decision of the company’s management to hold the retreat in Calabar because of its beauty and peaceful nature
