Calabar — Minister of Culture, Tourism and Orientation Chief Edem Duke has disclosed that the Federal Government would site six out of ten federal cultural centres in Cross River State alone.

Speaking in Calabar yesterday, when he paid a courtesy call on Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, Duke said the first of such would be the second national arts theatre which would be built in Calabar, explaining that the reason for this is to further decentralize its activities in the country.

Duke said other federal establishments to be located in the state are the National Gallery of Arts, National Institute for Culture Orientation for South South Zone, Centre for Black Arts, National Council for Arts and Culture, Slave Route Centre, National Council for Museum and Monuments and Resource Information Centre.

He said the art theatre is one of the six out of 10 institutions that the ministry intends to establish in the state as collaboration in recognition of the state's policy thrust on tourism.

The minister said provision has been made for the national theatre in the 2012 national budget and appealed that land be provided for its establishment.

Imoke described the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Orientation as one of the leading sectors at the federal level and assured it of the state's partnership.

Imoke maintained that the state has the comparative advantage to partner the Federal Government in promoting tourism, maintaining that it should be seen as a national and not a state issue.