Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Governor Alex Otti, has sought partnership with the Federal Government in his quest to make Abia State a major tourist destination in Nigeria.
According to Governor, Otti partnership between the State and the Federal Government would assist in harnessing the tourists potentials of the state.
The Governor spoke while receiving in audience a delegation of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments led by its Director-General, Hon. Olugbile Holloway.
He said: “When you talk about the National War Museum, Ojukwu Bunker, the Long Juju of Arochukwu, the cave in Umunneochi, the Azumini Blue River, and a whole lot of that, you’ll find out that if we collaborate and work together, Abia will be one of the most visited destinations in Nigeria.
“This is promoted by the fact that we’ve done our best to cage insecurity to make sure that this place is safe. We take it very very seriously.
“It will be very nice if we can take the tourist sites one after the other. I don’t know how much budget you have but I know it will cost a lot of money trying to just fix the infrastructure not to talk of the other part of it which is the story telling part.
“We’ve already started doing something before you came. I think having you here is one of the happiest things for me, that means that the centre that is in control of some of the tourist attractions are showing interest. We are ready to collaborate and work together,” Gov. Otti stated.
Governor Otti noted that the earlier challenge for tourism in the state was hotel accommodation.
“Of course, I mentioned in 2023 that the major challenge is the Hotels where people can stay and I’m happy that we’re almost there. I just finished a meeting with the proposed contractors for the Radisson Blu Hotels and International convention in Aba.
“We have our eyes on tourism. I’m very happy to work with you. The only thing we can do is get the National Assembly people to also put their voices to ensuring that we have sufficient funding to rehabilitate the War Museum,” Gov. Otti stated.
He said that when his administration came onboard newly, he had to first of all guarantee security and provide Infrastructure before he started looking towards tourism.
The Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Dr. Matthew Ekwuribe, while responding said that the collaboration with the Federal Government would bring tourism development to Abia State, saying that, Abia State has a lot of tourists centres owned by the Federal Government but noted that the tourist centres are currently not in good condition.
He said that the visit of the Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments is key to what the State is doing and said that the National War Museum in Umuahia is the only war museum in West Africa, saying that, “If we are able to resuscitate it, it would bring a lot of people from all over the world to Abia State. So, this visit is a very good one and it would bring development to Abia State.”
He commended Governor Otti for his decision to develop every sector of the State’s economy including the tourism industry.
Earlier, the Director-General cum Chief Executive Officer, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Hon. Olugbile Holloway, acknowledged that his team visited to discuss areas of collaborations between the Federal Government and Abia State and said that the collaboration would bring tourism development to Abia State.
“Some of the sites we are interested in bringing back to life are the National War Museum and the Ojukwu Bunker including the Long Juju of Arochukwu.
“So, for us, this meeting is important because it has kick-started a conversations between the federal and state on how to actually work together to make the tourists destinations in the state, world class destinations for tourism.
“The War Museum is here already. It’s one of the museums we have identified that needs rehabilitation. Unfortunately, it’s quite dilapidated and it is important that urgent intervention happens there so that we don’t lose the infrastructure, the history and the story-telling aspects.”
Top Government officials including the Special Assistant to the Governor on Tourism and Entertainment, Mr Martins Okechukwu Justice (J. Martins), were present during the meeting.
