Stop Pretending Everything is Alright, Explore Tourism As Alternative to Petroleum -Gov.Makinde admonishes FG

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The Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has admonished Nigerian Government not to pretend that everything is alright in the Country and look critically to exploring the Possibilities in tourism particularly using it to generate revenue so that the Country would be able to take care of its budgetry expenses.

He quoted “Nigeria has come to a crossroad on financial capacity to take care of her budgetry expenses, the country has to stop pretending that everything is alright, we have to look critically at the tourism sector to escape the looming financial insolvency the country faces.

The Governor added that it is time for the Country to refurbish and revamp all the tourist to that would engaged and attract National and International visitations. He described tourism as an alternative to the monolithic source of income that rested on petroleum.

He said Nigeria has many tourists sites that could be sufficiently take care of the nation’s budgetry expenses as done by developed countries like United Kingdom, France, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirate (UAE) where foreigners trooped to see sites and monuments.

In a statement signed by Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun at Ibadan on Saturday, in commemoration of the year 2020 World Tourism Day, he quoted the governor as assuring that the State would not pay lip service to development of tourism in the State.

He hinted that many tourist sites across the State were already being toured by officials of the Ministry and partners in the tourism industry for proper maintenance works to put them in good position and attract attention towards their individual potentials.

“Even the best of the countries in development all over the world are not monolithic in their source of revenue generation, go to the United Kingdom, go to France, America, Saudi Arabia, UAE and the rest, they don’t rely soly on oil, they all have tourism to back them up.

“There are so many tourists sites in Oyo State alone, not to talk of Nigeria that will earn the country and the State enough revenue to sustain them and in Oyo State, we will not pay lip service to development of the tourism sector.

“We shall give all we have to promote the sector and partner with the best corporate organizations to achieve this aim, all our monuments, tourism sites and important cultural events will see international showcasing that will attract and engage national and international respects and visitation.”

Olatubosun said the theme of year 2020 International Tourism Day is ‘Tourism and Rural Development’ and the State government, through the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism would be at Idere, Ibarapa Central local government to showcase the Idere Hills Tourism Cluster to the whole world on Sunday 27th September, 2020.

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