The Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong has promised that his administration will pay more attention to tourism by developing some policy frame work to guide the process
“Plateau was nicknamed ‘the home of peace and tourism because of the weather and the people’s hospitality, so we kept on calling it home of peace and tourism until when we started having some crisis in the State. But even after that crisis, we still use the same slogan for the state,” he said.
Governor Lalong, who spoke to Journalists in an interview, said in other to achieve this, a state of emergency on tourism, has been declared in the State.
“When I mentioned state of emergency, I mean full attention will be placed and focus tourism in Plateau State, because we have many sources of revenue in the State, we have agriculture, which we are already developing, we have minerals that are already there and we also made tourism as part of our five policy thrust; we are ready to enhance peace and security. You cannot introduce tourism without peace at the same time; if you have peace what do you do? You must enjoy it. So tourism and peace go together. So by the term state of emergency, I mean practical attention on tourism,” he stated.
Wrong impression about Plateau
Plateau State has been known as a home of peace and Tourism until subsequent crisis’s which encode the State in the earlier part of the year 2001. But the Governor assures Tourists that the State is safe for visit.
“So when I hear people saying that there is no peace in Plateau, I wondered which part of Plateau they are referring to.
Unlike the sentiments by some media and social media that Plateau State is no go area. But as a Governor of the State I know it is not a no go area, it is a peaceful, accommodating place and very hospitable for people. Yes we have some pocket of crisis in some villages here and there, which is almost what happened in every State and even most countries of the world.
There is no State or country that will say they are leaving peacefully without having any crisis, so if there is no crisis in those countries, it mean then there is no need for police and the Army, but since it occur in one time or the other, that is why we have Police and Army. But then, the magnitude of exaggeration or escalation of any crisis it what we are pleading to always downplay.
One good thing about Jos is that when you come to the city, you will find it very difficult to leave because of the hospitable nature and sereneness. So I still enphasise that Plateau is still home of Peace and hospitality,” he insist.
Brand positioning and sustainability
The Governor explains that, “Now if you are thinking about a policy for tourism development, it is not a one year thing or one tenure thing, so in order to develop stability you must have a framework, which is an introduction to the tourism development step. So when they brought the position paper, I said we will approve it and we will also develop a police which will also be approved by the executive and now when you put it and it is acceptable by the executive it like a law in the State and by the time we start that and it is working in the State.
“Subsequent administration will be difficult to come and say they are doing away with. We have seen it happen in so many States, we have seen the benefits in so many countries which have strategically position tourism to grow their economy. What I am doing is not for my tenure but we are developing it for posterity, and for a long term, so that whoever comes instead of bringing it down, will be expanding it for the benefit of the State and the people of Plateau State”.
On reviving golf tourism
“In the last two years we have produced professional golfers from this State who can compete internationally and we have up to 20 professional golfers. When I came, we have no green course to train, now we have two standard green course and we are preparing the third.
Rayfield Golf Course is the oldest golf course in the country, constructed in 1913. Miners came and they started playing golf here in Nigeria, so there is no reason why we should not have a golf course.
“We are trying to bring out the beauty of the golf course back, so by the time we finish the green, the historical aspect will be a brand that will bring international golfers to the State,” he concluded.
Source: von.gov.ng