By Peter Usman
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari will on June 1st; 2018 unveil the multi-billion naira Eko Atlantic City project in Lagos , Nigeria’s’ commercial nerve centre.
Lai made the disclosure in Abuja, the Nigeria Federal Capital Territory while receiving the Programme Officer, United Nations World Tourism Organization, UNWTO, Lydia Bebekun.
He said the federal government has decided to host the UNWTO CAF meeting at the Eko Atlantic City to unveil the city to the CAF members and also give them unprecedented warm trea t in the tourism sector.
“We have chosen to give members of CAF a treat at Eko Atlantic City, which is probably the biggest tourism city in the whole of Africa, which we are going to unveil to CAF members.
“A new city of about a million square meter, where we have shopping malls, all kinds of tourists attraction. We believe the CAF meeting, symposium; programme meeting will be given the Nigerian touch” he said.
The Minister said UNWTO had shown a lot of enthusiasm to help Nigeria develop its tourism and would work hard with the UNWTO team to ensure a successful hosting of the annual event in Nigeria.
“President Mohammadu Buhari will perform the unveiling ceremony of Eko Atlantic City alongside the declaration of the UNWTO CAF meeting that will hold at the city from 1st to 6th June, 2018.
“We have been doing everything possible to create awareness for the UNWTO meeting. Mr. President has graciously accepted to declare the event open. We have also sought and obtained the participation of various Governors.
“We have chosen to give members of CAF a treat at Eko Atlantic City, which is probably the biggest tourism city in the whole of Africa, which we are going to unveil to CAF members.
“A new city of about a million square meter, where we have shopping malls, all kinds of tourists attraction. We believe the CAF meeting; the symposium and programme meetings will be given the Nigerian touch.
“We will make sure you have a feel of Nigeria’s diversity and the diversity of its tourism sector. We will work together for the success of the UNWTO’’ he stated.
Lai who commended the UNWTO for assisting Nigeria in developing its tourism sector said that Nigeria has been treated as a very special member of UNWTO and that has earned the country two special invitations to Madrid to discuss matters pertaining to Nigeria.
“UNWTO has shown a lot of enthusiasm to help Nigeria develop its tourism. When we bided in Addis Ababa for CAF, it was unanimously accepted. Since then we have been working round the clock to ensure that UNWTO members have a trill they have never seen anywhere before.
Earlier in her address, the UNWTO Programme Officer, Lydia Bebekun, said she was in Nigeria to inspect the venue of the meeting and also seeks cooperation with various collaborators for the successful hosting of the meeting.
‘‘This is a great day for Nigeria, and for the tourism sector. The objective of my mission is to support all the collaboration with the Minister to make the 61st UNWTO CAF meeting a success.
‘‘Tourism is a tool for sustainable development in the country. It can bring jobs for the youths, and also reduce poverty and could be the new oil for Nigeria, Bebekun said.
The World Tourism Organization, CAF meeting is an annual platform through which the UNWTO Secretariat informs member states of the general programme of work for the African region and presents the reports of the various standing committees.
The CAF meeting is also a statutory meeting where all tourism ministers from the region gather to discuss the tourism agenda for the continent and the host country.
The theme of the 61st UNWTO/CAF Meeting is: ‘‘Tourism Statistics: A Catalyst for Development’.
The hosting of the meeting by Nigeria is expected to put the country’s tourism industry on the global map, in addition to attracting foreign research experts and promoting the necessary network that will form the basis for future cooperation.
https://www.africaprimenews.com/2017/10/30/news/nigerian-minister-hails-african-lnternational-film-festival-lifting-movie-industry/
