Landlords in Calabar, the Cross River State capital have protested the governor’s directive asking all landlords, especially those whose houses are along the carnival route to embark on emergency rehabilitation and repainting of their houses.
The governor gave this directive through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Ogbeche with the intent that the capital be given a fresh look ahead of the 32-day Calabar Carnival and other activities during the Yuletide.
However, some landlords who spoke separately newsmen registered their displeasure over the directive, noting that such directive was supposed to come with a subvention.
One of the landlords whose property is located along Marian Road, Chief Wilson Etete had this to say:
“If they want such a directive to be effective, they ought to advance us even half of the cost of the renovation.
“We are not happy that the governor preferred to give a grant of Ten Million Naira to ten hotel and business owners who already have enough to renovate their properties conveniently but was rather giving us orders without any financial support.”