Cross River Governor Subsidised Airfare for 2022 Carnival

The governor of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade has offered tourists, visitors and guests to the 2022 Carnival Calabar rebate on board its official airline, Cally Air.

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Governor Ayade disclosed this while flagging off the 3rd Carnival Dry run at the Millenium Park in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, southern Nigeria.

Ayade was accompanied for the flag off by his wife, Dr. Linda Ayade and various band leaders including the member representing Ikom-Boki federal constituency, Mr. Chris Shine, former Special Adviser to the President Obasanjo on Legislative Matters, Princess Florence Ita-Giwa and former Minister of Culture and Tourism, Edem Duke.

The governor said, “today is perhaps the last day I will be addressing you on the dry run as governor of Cross River State. I celebrate my exit and also the great opportunity for young men to have jobs. Agro-industrial programme is generally to catalyse the job creation and enable all of us have a concept of the administration.

“So, let us show the energy, let us also show the creativity that will afford us the ultimate opportunity to showcase ourselves to the world,” he urged.

Speaking further Ayade said, “let me now at this point invite everyone in Nigeria, Africa and the world to come and spend your Christmas in Calabar. Cally Air is here, it is flying in to Calabar and we are giving a subsidised price to everyone coming to Calabar for the carnival.

“We have always been offering subsidised price on Cally Air. In so doing, Cross River State has shown to the world that you do not need to have so much to do so much; that if you care enough you can do enough,” he urged.

“So, Cross River State has an aircraft, which is flying people in and out at subsidised rate. Please, do join Cally Air and come to Calabar. After the COVID era, this is the first Carnival after that period and we promise to give you the best show you have ever seen,” the governor further emphasized.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Cross River State Festival Committee, Mr. Ken Allah said that the third dry run is to show to the world the preparedness of the bands and the state in general to host the mother of all carnivals.

Allah said that the governor has shown by example the importance of hardwork, diligence and resilience in ensuring the people get the best of this year’s Carnival.

He said, “I have seen the preparedness of the bands, the commitment of the team and just like you have taught us to do and be the best, we assure you and every fun loving person that this year’s carnival will be the best.”

The executive secretary of the Carnival Commission, Evangelist Austeen Cobham in an earlier remark described the third dry run as “the show before the show”.

The third dry run had more than ten non-competing bands on the move besides the seven established competing bands such as Seagull, Masta Blasta, Passion 4, Bayside, Freedom, Diamond and CalasVegas.

Some of the non-competitive bands included Hit FM, INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission), combined security group and the National Population Commission, NPC.

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