Nigerian minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said that despite the challenges the nation is currently going through in view of the prevailing economic recession, those who believe in the country are still investing.
Speaking on Tuesday during the celebration of the World Tourism Day 2016 at the Eko Atlantic City, Lagos, Mohammed said the multi-million dollar city being built wholly by private investors on sand-filled land recovered from the Atlantic Ocean “is a better testimony to his assertion of better days ahead’’.
Mohammed appealed to investors to help turn the nation’s numerous tourist sites to tourist attractions.
His Words:
“It takes an investor to have a great confidence in any economy before putting hundreds of millions of dollars into a city like this,” he said.
“Those who can see the bright stars in our horizon beyond this temporary cloud of difficulties are investing in the country even as we speak.”
“Nigeria is rich in natural and man-made tourist destinations,” he said.
He said government would continue to invest massively in infrastructural development for more tourist sites to become accessible to all.
“World Tourism day, held annually on September 27 for the last quarter of a century, is meant to foster awareness of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic impact.
“Tourism and the creative industry represent the new oil for the Nigerian economy diversification programme.
“Agriculture and mining are viable options, but tourism is the low-hanging fruit in this regard, and we must not hesitate to pluck it,” he said.
