Banditry, Kidnapping Affecting  Tourism in Niger, Says  Commissioner

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Niger State Government has lamented that banditry and kidnapping are hampering the opening of new tourism sites and visits by tourists to already established centres in the state.

The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Hajia Fatima Adamu, said at an event to mark this year’s World Tourism Day in Minna on Wednesday that “insecurity is also militating against the promotion of tourism in most parts of the state.”

Adamu said new tourism sites have been discovered in some areas of the state which she did not mention but lamented that insecurity has not made it possible for these areas to be exposed to the outside world especially tourists as a result the veritable source of revenue is being blocked.

The commissioner, who only recently assumed duties declared:”My challenges in promoting tourism in Niger State is  funding and insecurity because some of those places cannot be accessed because of the insecurity, most especially the Kwangugari site.

“At Kwangugari site  where we have the Gadan Allah. We could have made it a tourism site for everyone but it’s no more accessible because of insecurity.”

She also lamented that not all the tourism sites in the state are functional which has therefore made it imperative for the ministry to reactivate them to provide areas of relaxation for the public and generate income for the state.

Adamu has therefore, asked investors to patronise the state to boost their businesses and contribute to the socio economic development of the state and the country.

Corroborating the submissions of her colleague, the Commissioner for Transport Hajia Ladidi Idris Kuta, disclosed that tourism in the state was stopped for a while as a result of insecurity. She explained that   the new administration  is considering  bringing in development partners that will collaborate with the State to open up most of the tourism sites.