Uzodimma in a hurry for partnership to revamp tourist, monument sites - Commissioner
Large amount of money may start to flow into the purse of the Imo state government, so that it will not depend on the federal allocation to pay salaries of its workforce, settle contractors and have enough to meet other exigencies , this is because it is now ready to revamp moribund monuments sites and the tourism sector in the state which most people have said holds large fortunes for the state .
Business A.M, Nigeria’s Financial and Business Newspaper had written a lot on the revamping of the tourism sector to enable the flow of funds into the state government purse because the sector holds large potentials for the state both in reducing the growing unemployment and of course, raising the internally generated revenue(IGR).
Now, the state governor, Hope Uzodimma has said his administration is ready to revisit and, wherever possible, revamp all the monuments and tourism sites as well as places of interest in the state, particularly, those in Owerri, saying that the present administration in the state ifidl d ittdtth a tourism destination.
The governor who spoke through Mazi Uche Ohia, the commissioner of tourism disclosed this when a delegation of Owerri Community Assembly led by Felix Ngoka, its president general (PG) visited him in his office
Government, the commissioner said, has demonstrated political will to revamp as well as grow the tourism industry as a pivotal sector in which the state has a comparative advantage in tandem with the economic diversification drive, information that such is the essence of prioritizing quality infrastructure and human capital development and security .
He reiterated the readiness of the state government to restore all heritage sites, monuments, land marks, places of interest and all potential sites of tourists’ attractions in the state.
He further informed about the readiness of the government to enter into partnership with the private sector to revolutionize the tourism sector as well as collaborate with communities to increase visitor traffic to the state by at least 20 percent in order to stimulate further the local economy.
Going further, Uche Ohia said the ministry of tourism would also collaborate with the Owerri Community Assembly (OCA) with a view to revisiting and reassessing all potential tourists’ attractions as well as artifacts in Owerri including those that the previous administrations destroyed.
He urged the people and other communities in the state to join hands with government to promote their heritage sites in the colourful tourist guide being planned by the ministry of tourism in the state.
He also advised the OCA to do everything possible and ensure that the annual Oru Owerre festival is repackaged in line with international standards and celebrated as such to attract tourists and from all walks of life.