By Grace Orok
The Director General of the Greater Calabar Development Authority, Mr. Kingsley Ikpeme in an exclusive interview with our correspondent has said that the Calabar Metropolis would be expanded to cover Odukpani, Akpabuyo, Akamkpa, Bakassi and Biase.
“The Greater Calabar Development Authority is an agency of the State Government saddled with the responsibility of creating a well planned new city that will cater for both residential and industrial estates.
“The agency is responsible for the planning, development and administration of areas classified as special development areas which include; Calabar Municipal, Calabar South, Odukpani, Akpabuyo, Akamkpa, Bakassi and Biase to de congest the Calabar Metropolis”, he said.
According to him, an inaugural meeting was held with the Board as his first line of action and he says he looks forward to holding a stakeholders meeting with those concerned in the development of the State.
The DG noted that Cross River as a tourist State cannot thrive without security and he hopes that the security challenge would be arrested by engaging the effort of the various security agencies.
His words: “We are going to go on a consultation with the security agencies; the Civil Defense, Nigerian Police Force, the Surveyor General and the Calabar Urban Development Authority, to take care of the security challenge”.
He further stated that he doesn’t envisage any challenge in the course of his work having formerly worked with the Ministry of Environment in the State and would work hand in hand with other agencies to make the vision become a reality.
He made clear that there would be a symbiotic relationship, where the interest of the people and that of Government would be protected.