By Chigozie Udeh
Abia state government is partnering the federal government to make the state world class tourists destinations.
The State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti stated this while receiving in audience a delegation of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments led by its Director-General, Olugbile Holloway.
Governor Otti stated that working together with the Federal Government would assist in harnessing the tourists potential of Abia State and develop the State.
“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 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, who expressed his joy over the collaboration with the Federal Government said that the earlier challenge for tourism in the State was hotel accommodation.
Earlier, the Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, 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 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,”
The Governor was joined by other top Government officials including the Special Assistant to the Governor on Tourism and Entertainment, Mr. Martins Okechukwu Justice (J. Martins) during the discussion.
