Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN) has urged the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to ensure full implementation of the FCT Tourism Master Plan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the association is the umbrella body of all private sector tourism and tourism related businesses in the country.
Mr Austine Elemue, Special Assistant on Media to the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, in a statement on Sunday, in Abuja, said President of the association, Alhaji Rabo Saleh, made the call when he paid a courtesy visit on the FCTA.
Saleh noted that full implementation of the master plan would make the FCT one of the states to reckon with in the tourism industry.
He noted that in order to actualise a speedy economic recovery plan, the private sector should be fully involved.
He revealed that 80 per cent of all tourism and tourism related businesses that provided over 30,000 jobs in the FCT were private sector driven.
He said that the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic had left the world economy in a devastating state, hence the need for diversification of the economy.
Saleh, therefore, called on the FCTA to collaborate with the private sector to develop domestic tourism sites like the Jabi Lake, Parks and Katampe Hills, aimed at promoting tourism in the territory.
Responding, the minister acknowledged the potential of the tourism sector in the area of job creation and lifting millions out of poverty in line with the presidential deliverables.
Represented by her Senior Special Assistant on Administration and Strategy, Prof. Muhammad Usman, Aliyu informed members of the association that the Abuja master plan was not cast on stone.
She stressed the need for the review of the FCT tourism master plan to make it more sustainable.
Aliyu also noted that the nation’s projected population by 2050 would be about 450 million people.
She said that with a projected huge population, it was important that all sectors were active in order to avoid crisis.
” We are giving you the assurance that the FCT Administration believes in what you do, not only because we are beneficiaries of the services you offer, but because we believe that you have the potential to offer even more than 30,000 jobs.
“It is important to the administration that jobs are created. We have a population that is very huge. By 2050, it is projected that our population will be about 450 million people.
” With a very youthful population, if we don’t create the job opportunities or things that will keep them busy, then we will have a lot of crisis on our hands. So, it is important that all sectors are active.
“The tourism sector is one sector that the administration is absolutely interested in investing.
” May I say that even if the administration wasn’t interested, the mandate of President Muhammad Buhari as re-emphasised in the course of the Ministerial Retreat recently, will compel us to do something in that direction.
“The FCT Administration has 13 deliverables. Out of these, number 12 and 13 are key and crucial. Deliverable number 12 is to engage with the private sector to create job opportunities.
” While number 13 is to take measures to contribute to the achievements of the Presidential Commitment to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.
” This requires all sectors of the economy to be active and all hands to be on deck,” Aliyu said.
She disclosed that in the Ministerial Performance Reports presented to the Federal Executive Council on Feb. 5, the FCTA secured the assent for the design to commence activities on Jabi Lake to enhance its tourism and recreational potential. (NAN)
