Photo Caption
Left: The Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Professor Sonni Tyoden, the immediate past president of NATOP, Mr. Nkereuwen Onung and other dignitaries at the just concluded NATOP AGM in Jos
By Franklin Ihejirika, Lagos
The Plateau State Governor, Rt Hon. Simon Bako Lalong has said that the State is providing a conducive environment for the promotion of tourism.
Governor Lalong stated that this can be seen in its concerted effort at developing tourist sites within the state.
Speaking at the just concluded Annual General Meeting, AGM of the National Association of Tour Operators, NATOP in Jos, the Governor noted that no responsible government can afford to let the economic potential of the tourism and travel industry to remain fallow.
Governor Lalong who was represented by his Deputy, Professor Sonni Tyoden noted that this development underscores the new focus of the state government.
He explained that upon assumption of office about three years ago, his administration unveiled a five policy trust governance intervention agenda.
The Governor said: “The first item on this agenda is peace, security and good governance. And the fifth is the provision of greater infrastructure and the development of a sustainable environment. The security of lives and property in an environment of peace as a primary concern of government is the fulcrum upon which we desire to promote the attainment of a sustainable environment”.
He observed that where anarchy and terror remains the order of the day no meaningful development can be attained much less the creation of a tourist friendly environment.
The Governor noted that: “Your professional services as travel and tour operators in the tourism sector are enhanced essentially through the guarantee of peace and security which we are committed to provide.
Further to this and considering the immense potential that Plateau possess, given the advantage of an all year round climate weather, government saw the need to provide critical infrastructure in its urban governance and rural transformation agenda. The reason for this is simply to ensure that facilities are available across the state to make life easier for the various communities in the state and the community of visitors who are leisure or transit tourists would be passing through the state.”
He said the Plateau State ministry of tourism, culture and hospitality together with all their subsidiary agencies have in the last two years made concerted efforts to ensure that through the annual cultural and entertainment event tourism which have held in the state, that activities are created to keep Plateau State in the tourism calendar events of the country.
The Plateau State carnival, road show and music fiesta are experiencing and receiving national recognition and I can assure you it will soon rival and possibly surpass other carnivals in the country, Governor Lalong assured.
In his word:”Plateau State is also on record to have hosted the boat sport carnival which held last year and we will soon be looking forward to expanding on this potential in the area of other sports. The mountain hiking, high altitude sport and other such exotic sports that fall within the sport tourism sector are gaining relevance by the day. Furthermore, we are providing a conducive environment for the promotion of tourism as can be seen in our concerted effort at developing tourist sites within the state.”
Plateau State Governor commended the leadership of NATOP for the choice of this year’s theme, which is security challenges in the promotion of tourism in Nigeria, stressing that the theme is timely as it identifies appropriately with the major challenges that the sector is experiencing.
He pointed out that insecurity everywhere in the world affects the tourism and travel sector.
Plateau Governor emphasized that “if we do not address our local and national security challenges, we can as well bid farewell to the income generating potential of the tourism sector. Plateau state has also similarly pursued the agenda of peace and security relentlessly”.
In his address before the election, the , the immediate past president of NATOP, Mr Nkereuwen Onung urged the federal and state governments to place more premium on marketing destination Nigeria.
Onung called for more emphasis on domestic assets and how to develop them, adding that marketing at International Trade Shows should resume.
He advised the government to deploy Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSA), a standard statistical framework and the main tool for the economic measurement of Tourism which the country needs to deploy now.
Onung said this will help to measure the size of economic sectors that are not defined in the National Accounts.
The former NATOP boss stressed that there is need for National Tourism administration, National Bureau of Statistics, CBN and Tourism development to come together to make TSA work.
Onung emphasised the need for a Tourism Master plan, adding that the country need strategic approach to the National Plan, a national carrier which will help to grow Tourism, grading of Tourism infrastructure and practical and friendly visa regime
He said tourism is a federal government matter and government needs to walk the talk.
Before the election, Onung advised members to elect Tourism practitioners and real Tour operators as against pseudo tour operators.
He maintained that NATOP should remain a national association by inaugurating other regions after FCT.
He also advised the incoming executive to take training of members seriously in view of the influx of hospitality practitioners and travel agents into NATOP.
In her opening remarks, the Plateau State Commissioner for tourism, Mrs Tamukat Weli stated that the State Government is putting measures in place to maximise the comparative advantage in tourism in other to diversify its revenue sources and provide employment to their teaming youths.
She said the State is the first in Nigeria to establish a State Tourism Board, the first state to lunch a Tourism Endowment Fund for development of tourist sites in the state, the first to host Presidential Council on Tourism Meeting, the first to host National Council on Tourism Meeting and the first to establish a peace agency.
Mrs. Weli disclosed that the administration is serious about the development of tourism in the State which is responsible for why there is massive investment on road network infrastructure.
She added that the administration has put in place both institutional and organisational frameworks to engender and encourage public private partnership in the tourism and hospitality sector.
“Recently the State signed Mou for long-term leases of Jos hotel with private sector investors. We are currently in discussion with other private sector investor wishing to lease other government-owned hotels and tourist attractions in the state. Plateau State is ready and open for serious tourist investment and patronage”, she said.
The Commissioner listed some of the tourists’ sites in the state to include: The largest man-made zoo in Nigeria, the wildlife park, the Pandam wildlife park which is reported to be one of the largest game reserves in Nigeria. The Riyom rock, the Wase rock, the Assop falls, the Gura falls, Shere hills, keravolcanic kawa rock formation including the state’s diverse cultures and artifacts .
