Make tourism top revenue earner, minister charges Nigerians

Minister of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, has called on Nigerians to make tourism the biggest revenue earner for the country.

The minister made the call after a clean-up exercise of the Jabi Lake located in Abuja by concerned Nigerians.

I Believe Carnival and Eco Club and Multi-Solution Consulting with support from the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy had commenced a thorough clean-up of the lake to transform it and elevate it to a tourism destination.

Represented by the executive director, Tourism Volunteers Network, Amb. Phil Roberts, the minister, encouraged the FCT tourism department to see how it can put the lake in its catalogue and transform it into a four-star destination for tourists.

He also encouraged FCT residents to stop throwing dirt into the lake and join hands to make it clean.

“Starting with this, our advocacy will continue to reach out to other potential tourism sites in the FCT. I charge every Nigeria to make tourism the biggest revenue earner for Nigeria,” the minister said.

She expressed delight in the collaborative efforts of the various partners trying to restore Jabi Lake to its lost glory.

Speaking after a clean-up exercise at the lake, the Chief Executive Officer, Hayche Multi Solutions Consulting, Aisha Yusuf, stressed the need for infrastructure upgrade and elevation of Jani Lake into a tourism destination.

Also speaking, the Chief Organiser, I Believe Carnival, Omoefe Tawiyah said tourism is the principal export for many societies and key for growth and wealth creation which underscores the need to transform Jabi Lake and make an attraction centre for tourists in Nigeria.

He described Jabi Lake as a significant tourism destination and major revenue source for the FCT if properly cleaned up and revitalised, saying that it will be one of the destinations for tourists, as people will see and bring about enormous tourism investment to the country.

“We residents in FCT can attest to the fact that a lot of people come here for picnics, for relaxation, couples come here to unwind.”

In her own remarks, the Chief Executive Officer, Crave Boutik, Chief Chinenye Kester, said the time had come for the lake to be cleaned up for investors to partner with Eco Club.

On her part, the Founder, Africa, Hair Summit, Adanna Enwezor underscored the need to protect the environment and keep it safe for the good of mankind.

For Nigerian celebrity, Oge Kimono, the revamping of Jabi Lake would bring endless opportunities to the FCT and Nigeria.

“With this step taken, an endless opportunity can come out of this Lake if well harnessed and managed properly and kept clean,” Kimono said.

“These are things that can bring people to Abuja and generate revenue. There are so much that can come out of this place.”