Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has charged hospitality operators and food handlers across the state to uphold strict food safety and hygiene standards, warning that failures in food handling could damage the state’s reputation as a leading tourism destination.
Otu said food safety rarely makes headlines when properly observed, but could attract negative publicity when standards are compromised, stressing that Cross River must not allow avoidable food-related incidents to undermine its tourism potential.
The Governor spoke on Monday in Calabar while declaring open a capacity-building training on food safety and hygiene for operators in the hospitality sector.
Represented by the Managing Director of the Cross River State Tourism Bureau, Mr John Atsu, Otu described food hygiene as a critical foundation for a successful tourism economy, particularly as the state prepares to receive increased numbers of visitors during the carnival season.
He said the hospitality industry remained central to the state’s economic development and urged participants to regard themselves as custodians of Cross River’s reputation among tourists and other visitors.
According to him, the quality and safety of food served to visitors could determine their overall experience and influence their decision to return to the state.
The training, organised through the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Hospitality, brought together operators from hotels, restaurants, lounges, fast-food outlets, bukas and other food service establishments, including street food vendors.
The Special Adviser on Hospitality, Mr Albert Kusi, said the exercise was part of the government’s broader human-capacity development programme for the hospitality sector.
Kusi said the initiative was particularly significant because it extended food safety training beyond formal hospitality establishments to operators in the informal sector who also have direct contact with tourists and visitors.
He urged participants to take the knowledge acquired during the training back to their respective establishments and ensure that the standards were sustained among their colleagues and staff.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Ayuk, represented by a director in the ministry, Mr Simon Obogo, warned that unsafe food handling could expose residents and visitors to serious health risks and damage the state’s tourism economy.
Ayuk said poor personal hygiene, unsafe water, improper waste management and cross-contamination remained major factors contributing to food-borne diseases.
He said the Ministry of Health would strengthen supportive inspections of food establishments, stressing that the objective was to guide operators towards compliance rather than conduct punitive raids.
The Commissioner also reiterated the requirement for food handlers to possess valid medical certificates of fitness, renewable every six months, while urging operators to provide clean water, soap, functional refrigerators and proper food storage facilities.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Mrs Eme Afia, who represented the Commissioner for Tourism, said Cross River’s indigenous cuisine remained an important component of its tourism appeal.
Afia said the state’s cultural festivals, dances, hospitality and culinary heritage must be complemented by high standards of food safety if Cross River was to retain its position as a preferred tourist destination.
She said ensuring a positive food experience for visitors would encourage repeat visits and strengthen the state’s tourism economy.
The training is expected to expose participants to modern food handling practices, personal hygiene, waste management, prevention of cross-contamination and other standards required to improve service delivery across the hospitality sector.
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