World Bank Expresses Interest in Tinapa

By Eddyson Lugangwa Posted 15 May 2006 @ 12:40 am EET     Print     Reprint     E-Mail     Comments

Nairobi (IBTimes.com) - The World Bank has expressed interest in the the multi-billion naira Tinapa Business Reasort project, reputed to be Africa's premier business resort.

Making this known in his office, Tinapa's Managing Director, Mr. Sam Anani said this follows strong recommendatyon from the Federal Government.

Anani identified some of the assistance to include; human resource/capacity development; developing a marketing strategy for Tinapa products; and complete commercialization of services to be offered by the project when it comes on stream.

Anani said news of the World Bank's interest in Tinapa emerged during a retreat held by the Bank in its Washington DC headquarters, in which the Federal Government and the Cross River State Government were invited.

According to him, the Bank gave a positive report on the prospects of Tinapa, and promised to assist the project through its projects financing agency, the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

Also speaking, the Managing Director, Cross River State Tourism Bureau, Mr. Gabe Onah said that the Bank also identified the need for the speedy completion of the project.

Onah said as part of its recognition by the World Bank, a partnership programme has been secured with the United States Forestry Service to carry out exploratory mission on forests in Cross River state, which constitutes two-thirds of Nigeria's remaining five per cent tropical rain forest.

Meanwhile, Anani assured that by October 2006, some tenants of the Tinapa shops would start moving into the trading hub; while by March 2007, most of the constructions at the Tinapa project's first phase would have been completed.