Adebayo Adenrele
Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State has said his administration will collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Tourism to harness and develop tourism potentials of the state.
Oyebanji revealed this on Monday during the 6th edition of Hike Ekiti Mountain safari at Abanijorin Mountain and cave, in Iyin- Ekiti.
The Governor said a properly harnessed tourism industry has the capacity to reshape the economy and improve the revenue base of the state, stressing that the state would leverage on tourism to attract investment, create jobs, boost the local economy and drive the shared prosperity agenda of his administration.
In attendance at the event were the Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John, Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief Monisade Afuye; Speaker Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon Adeoye Aribasoye; Director General of NIHOTOUR, Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, among others.
While expressing his gratitude to the Minister for the visit and her commitment to tourism development in the country, Oyebanji said her commitment speaks to the quality of people working with President Bola Timubu to actualize the renewed hope agenda of the President.
His words, “I’m so excited that finally, we are giving life to this programme. It started six years ago and I know and am convinced that if we are going to drive our shared prosperity agenda in Ekiti state, tourism is a critical factor in ensuring that we provide job, create wealth and also emplaced a healthy and productive society.
“As a government, we have charged the bureau of tourism development to create a desirable tourism masterplan for the state, because that is what is going to drive our intervention in the tourism sector and we will further collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Tourism by ensuring that we align our own plan with their own so that together we can create an enabling environment for our people to prosper”. The Governor asserted.
Earlier in her remarks, the Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John, who said the purpose of her visit was to encourage and promote the eco-tourism sector of the state, hailed Oyebanji’s commitment to tourism development, especially the creation of a Bureau of tourism.
She maintained that Governor Oyebanji’s determination to prioritize tourism aligns with Tinubu’s led federal government’s resolve to boost the nation’s economy through tourism development.
The Minister, who maintained that collaboration among government entities, tourism agencies, business and communities global is crucial for promoting sustainable tourism in the state, assured the Governor that her ministry would continue to support the state government to explore and tap into various beautiful tourist sites in the state in order to preserve the natural heritage for future generations.
She said, “Collaboration among government entities, tourism agencies, business and communities global is crucial for promoting sustainable tourism in Ekiti state and beyond and as affirmed by the Governor, he is very passionate about tourism and he intends on making tourism in the state as enviable and as an example to other state in Nigeria.”