The Rivers State government on Monday, signed an agreement with the federal government towards developing the tourism potentials of the state and advancing the Renewed Hope Cultural Project of the Tinubu administration.
At the event held at the Government House,bPort Harcourt, Governor Siminalayi Fubara reaffirmed his commitment towards the speedy execution of the Oyorokoto Beach Resort project, pledging to ensure that it is fully developed to make Rivers State a tourism hub in Nigeria.
Governor Fubara disclosed that in the last three years, the his administration has invested a lot of resources in expanding the tourism sector in the state because of its desire to develop leisure spots, create jobs and diversify the local economy.
“We have invested in expanding the tourism sector of Rivers State. Some months ago, the project for the new tourist beach which we embarked upon in partnership with Landmark kicked off.
“They’ve already started their work and from what they promised, by this December the first phase will be unveiled and made ready for public use,” he said.
According to Governor Fubara, some aspects of the Renewed Hope Cultural Project were part of what his administration had in mind when it initiated the Ngô- Atlantic Oyorokoto Road project in Andoni Local Government Area of the state.
“It is a project that will open up that axis of Rivers State. The Oyorokoto Beach is one of the best beaches in this country. Today, I can tell you that all over the internet, I’ve been seeing pictures of elephants, lions and other sorts of wildlife that are being showcased as part of the tourist attractions on that new road,” he said.
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Governor Fubara observed that infrastructure development is not just about building roads, bridges and hospitals but also about building an economy for entertainment and relaxation.
He said that in Europe and some of the Middle East countries such as United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, their economies are not just boosted by their good roads but also by the hospitality industry they have created to provide comfort and relaxation to tourists.
“If not for this crisis in Iran, the closest tourism destination that everybody yearns for is Dubai, to go there and enjoy.
“So, what we are trying to do here is, if we can’t go to Dubai, let’s provide our own Dubai in Rivers State. If we can’t go to Qatar, let’s provide our own Qatar or Spain in Oyorokoto,” he said.
Governor Fubara gave assurance that Rivers state will not just sign the agreement, but will make sure that it goes further to put up something visible in the next four months.
He expressed appreciation to the federal government for picking Rivers State as one of the key states for the project, adding that both parties to the agreement will work as partners in progress.
Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa signed the agreement on behalf of the federal government, while the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Culture, Mr. Ishmael Tomonialadeokuma, signed on behalf of the state.
In her brief remarks, Musawa described the project as timely, adding that it is in line with the desire of President Bola Tinubu to ensure collaboration between the federal government and the various states on expanding the creative industry in the country.
According to the minister, the main goal of the project is economic diversification and expansion as well as job creation.
She hailed Governor Fubara for what his administration has done in the area of art, culture, tourism and creative economy, describing it as being very vast.
