UYO, Nigeria — The Center for Human Rights and Accountability Network (CHRAN), a Civil Society Organisation, has demanded an immediate probe into the management of Akwa Ibom State's Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort over the past 19 years.

This call comes as the state government announced the interim closure of the facility, now known as Ibom Icon, effective August 22, 2026. The closure is intended to facilitate ongoing renovation works and the subsequent handover of management to a private hospitality firm.

CHRAN, in a statement signed by its Director, Otuekong Franklyn Isong, and Secretary for Research & Documentation, Comrade Etimbuk Ekpenyong, argued that repositioning the hotel without a financial investigation would be incomplete.

The CSO expressed concern that despite changes in management and branding over the years, the hotel has not reached its potential as a key tourism asset for the state. CHRAN noted that Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has publicly acknowledged the hotel's consistent operational losses.

The organisation is urging the Akwa Ibom State government to commission an independent financial audit of the hotel. This audit should cover its entire management history to ascertain revenue generation, accounting practices, and fund utilization, thereby establishing the facility's true financial standing before its handover.

Furthermore, CHRAN called for a personnel audit of the hotel's staffing and management structure over the last 19 years. This would assess how staffing decisions were made, whether appropriate skills were present, and how these factors might have contributed to the hotel's underperformance.

The CSO also requested a probe into the reasons behind the hotel's repeated failure to perform optimally under various management arrangements. They believe that understanding these past issues is crucial for establishing a new management framework that prevents similar failures under the incoming Aleph Hospitality brand.

CHRAN emphasized that these audits and probes are not intended for fault-finding but are essential steps to ensure the new management is set up for success and not destined to repeat past mistakes.