Ekiti Art Council DG calls for separate tourism ministry

DIRECTOR-GENERAL of the Ekiti State Council for Arts and Culture, Amb. Wale Ojo-Lanre, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to create a separate Tourism and Culture ministry.

Ojo-Lanre made the call while receiving the award of Distinctive Leadership and Resilient in Travel and Tourism Journalist of the Year 2018 of The Tourism Transport Summit and Expo 2019 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.The event was organised by the Institute for Tourism Practitioners.

While dedicating the award to President Buhari, Ojo-Lanre noted that all the countries that thrive in tourism have a separate ministry for tourism.

“There is no doubt that the landscape of Nigeria is dotted with innumerable and enviable tourism potentialities, which if harnessed, would make the country the cynosure of all eyes, create wealth for her people and infuse unity among the people.

“There is a dire need to create a separate ministry for Culture and Tourism to fast-track this, hence I humbly enjoin President MuhammaduBuhari to consider the creation of a separate ministry for Culture and Tourism, which, no doubt, would propel the practical development of the money-spinning tourism industry in Nigerian, which is part of the President’s plan to diversify the nation’s economy,” Ojo-Lanre said.

While commending the ITP president, Chief Abiodun Odusanwo, for the tenacity of purpose, Ojo-Lanre urged the institute and other tourism practitioners to support the President in the creation of a separate Culture and Tourism ministry.

The Ekiti Council for Arts and Culture boss, who described the state as a paragon of arts and culture disclosed the determination of Governor Kayode Fayemi to explore the art, culture and tourism industries in the state to better the of the state and its people.

“Governor Fayemi is fully aware of the viability of arts, culture, and tourism in creating wealth and employment, and fostering unity among the people of any society who explore the money-spinny sector, hence he has set the needed machineries in place to make Ekiti State a model in the arts, culture and tourism for other states in Nigeria.