Tourism operators in Akwa Ibom have hailed the inauguration of the Ibom Power Plant by President Goodluck Jonathan, describing it as lifeline for them.

They expressed optimism that power from the plant would help in reviving businesses, which had been made unprofitable and moribund by perennial lack of electricity supply from the national grid.

The operators, members of Akwa Ibom Hospitality and Tourism Operators Practitioners Association (AKHTOPA) said power was central to economic development, especially in their business, where people did not accept excuses.

It would be recalled that the 190-megawatt capacity power plant was switched on by the president during his two-day visit to Akwa Ibom on July 8.

The Chairman of AKHTOPA in Eket zone, Mr Sammy Eshiet, told newsmen that power was crucial to hospitality business, as people, who lacked supply in their homes and offices always resorted to hotels for relaxation.

He said that under the poor power supply condition, hoteliers in the state had problems coping with providing services, adding, “some survived, but under heavy overhead, while many went under.

He said that most employees in the sector lost their jobs as a result of the downturn in business and expressed the hope that the new power plant would rejuvenate the sector.

Eshiet, who is the proprietor of Precious World Resorts Ltd, Eket, said, “Our greatest headache is power; many hotels and tourism facilities have closed down because of the exorbitant running cost.

“The situation also threw a lot of people back into the labour market because, as you know, hospitality sector is a big employer of labour and with this power problem, many people were laid off.

“But if we can have steady power supply now, dying businesses will be revamped and growth in the economy will be accelerated.’’

He, therefore, urged Jonathan to urgently address the energy crisis in the country and put the economy back on track, adding that the Akwa Ibom example needed to be replicated around the country.

Eshiet expressed optimism that the country had adequate resources to overcome the challenges confronting it, and said that all that was needed was “the will to change things’’.