Duke said following the
fall in the state’s revenue, his administration took proactive measure to
develop tourism sites in the state and initiated the Calabar festival and
Tinapa Resorts which had become money spinners.
The ex-Gov Donald Duke of
Cross River said he developed culture and tourism in order to rescue the State
from financial crunch.
Duke made the explanation
in a presentation at the Culture and Tourism Summit hosted by Federal Ministry
of Information and Culture in Abuja on Thursday. He said that following the
ceding of Bakassi peninsular – the oil rich part of Cross River to Cameroun by
the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo – the revenue accruing to the
state crumbled.
He said
attempt by Obasanjo to convince a neighbouring state, Akwa Ibom, to share its
oil revenue with Cross River was resisted by the then Gov Victor Attah.
According to Duke, the
annual festival which holds every December attracts no fewer than six million
visitors and generates billions of naira to the coffer of the state
The former governor hailed
the decision of the federal government to use culture and tourism sector as
alternative to dwindling oil revenue.
He said it was achievable
with determination, commitment, good policies and co-operations of the private
sector.
Duke called for the revival
of National Tourism Commission to champion the cause.
It will be recalled that
Duke as governor created the Obudu Ranch International Mountain Race which has
become one of the most lucrative mountain running competitions in the world.
He also initiated Tinapa
Resort project to boost business and tourism in the state.
Another expert in cultural
matters, Frank Aig-Imoukhuede, urged government to develop concerts, soccer,
carnivals, exhibitions and festivals.
The octogenarian journalist
and poet, in a presentation at the summit said that development of the sectors
would make the rural populace to be self-reliant.
Another expert, Bolanle
Austen-Peter said for the sector to be developed there was need for
re-orientation and rebranding of mentality on the importance of culture and
tourism to the nation.
Austen-Peter of Tera
Kulture said government programmes and policies should tend towards celebrating
creative minds.
She also underscored the
need for Private-Public-Partnership in the development of the sector.
(NAN)
No comments:
Post a Comment