The National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, Plateau State, on Tuesday night said Osun massive potentials in tourism sector was capable of shoring up Nigeria and the state’s revenue in dollars if maximally explored.
The body also contended that tourist attraction sites, located in the state were capable of serving as impetus to build the Osun and the nation’s ailing economy if properly harnessed.
Addresing a press conference in Osogbo after a team of NIPSS led by Mr Asipita Umar and Mrs Sandra Agbor sent to visit some major tourist centres in the state with a plan to develop a strategy framework, the delegation maitianed that for the transformation of the state into a top tourism destination in Africa, there was urgent need to explore opportunities provided by the natural endowment Osun.
The team visited the Oluminrin waterfall at Erin-Ijesa, Kiriji war site at Imesi-Ile and Ayinkunnugba waterfall at Oke-Ila on Monday and Tuesday respectively.
According to Umar,, “We are here to form a corporation with the state government on ways and means to improve the tourism development situation on the natural occurring tourist attractions in the state. Osun state is blessed with more than a dozen world recognized tourist centres and sites, international known. But as it is, the state government has not taken the full advantage of the potentials in terms of economic activities, cultural promotion that the tourism sites in Osun state could offer”.
“The National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies is the apex Nigerian institution that concentrates on analyzing and looking at policy and strategy with relation to critical development issues in Nigeria. Tourism is the second largest contributor to global GDP and the second largest employer of labour worldwide.
“If Osun state has these potentials and we have not taken advantage of exploring it to highest possibilities, NIPSS feel like giving the current trend of diversifying the economy, we have to start looking at areas that have potentials for generating employment, foreign exchange earnings and many other things.
“Also, culture is a people, the more you can promote your culture gives you comparative advantage in term of interaction with other people of the world. Our purpose here is mainly explorative, after this we will sit down, have a discussion and come up with what we can do together to attract proper investment to develop these sites to world class places for tourist lovers.”
Umar said NIPSS would design a strategic policy framework for the Federal Government for the development of tourism in Osun and other part of the country.
In her address, a member of the team, Mrs Zandra Agbor, who is a Chief Consultant in the institute said: “What we have seen so far is quite interesting, if we did not come to this place, we would not know what Osun has on ground.
“It is an eye opener to us and I know that if proper investment is done, I am so sure this will open up Osun state and it will generate lots of revenue and serve as great potentials for the state.”
The National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, Plateau State, on Tuesday night said Osun massive potentials in tourism sector was capable of shoring up Nigeria and the state’s revenue in dollars if maximally explored.
The body also contended that tourist attraction sites, located in the state were capable of serving as impetus to build the Osun and the nation’s ailing economy if properly harnessed.
Addresing a press conference in Osogbo after a team of NIPSS led by Mr Asipita Umar and Mrs Sandra Agbor sent to visit some major tourist centres in the state with a plan to develop a strategy framework, the delegation maitianed that for the transformation of the state into a top tourism destination in Africa, there was urgent need to explore opportunities provided by the natural endowment Osun.
The team visited the Oluminrin waterfall at Erin-Ijesa, Kiriji war site at Imesi-Ile and Ayinkunnugba waterfall at Oke-Ila on Monday and Tuesday respectively.
According to Umar,, “We are here to form a corporation with the state government on ways and means to improve the tourism development situation on the natural occurring tourist attractions in the state. Osun state is blessed with more than a dozen world recognized tourist centres and sites, international known. But as it is, the state government has not taken the full advantage of the potentials in terms of economic activities, cultural promotion that the tourism sites in Osun state could offer”.
“The National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies is the apex Nigerian institution that concentrates on analyzing and looking at policy and strategy with relation to critical development issues in Nigeria. Tourism is the second largest contributor to global GDP and the second largest employer of labour worldwide.
“If Osun state has these potentials and we have not taken advantage of exploring it to highest possibilities, NIPSS feel like giving the current trend of diversifying the economy, we have to start looking at areas that have potentials for generating employment, foreign exchange earnings and many other things.
“Also, culture is a people, the more you can promote your culture gives you comparative advantage in term of interaction with other people of the world. Our purpose here is mainly explorative, after this we will sit down, have a discussion and come up with what we can do together to attract proper investment to develop these sites to world class places for tourist lovers.”
Umar said NIPSS would design a strategic policy framework for the Federal Government for the development of tourism in Osun and other part of the country.
In her address, a member of the team, Mrs Zandra Agbor, who is a Chief Consultant in the institute said: “What we have seen so far is quite interesting, if we did not come to this place, we would not know what Osun has on ground.
“It is an eye opener to us and I know that if proper investment is done, I am so sure this will open up Osun state and it will generate lots of revenue and serve as great potentials for the state.”