Recently, sons and daughters of Anambra State gathered at Awka, the capital of the state to mark the state’s 25 years of existence. The meeting gave room to brainstorm on how to move the state forward through tourism.
No doubt, tourism presently, is one of the fastest growing sectors in the world. And the need for every state to adopt tourism as one of the major key of economic driver and job creator is paramount.
Based on this, Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano is desperate to ensure that Anambra is turned to tourists’ state.
Speaking at the event, Obiano said the state government plan to host a Special Anniversary Award Ceremony on December 16. “It will be a great day to honour Anambra’s galaxy of pre-eminent achievers,” he said.
According to Obiano, a cultural carnival has also been scheduled to take place in the three senatorial districts during this period with a grand finale of the festival billed for December.
In order to ensure that his tourism mission is successful, the governor said: “There will be a special lighting of the Christmas tree on November 25 and an Interdenominational Service on November 26. We shall visit spectacular tourist sites on December 22nd and host a colourful Christmas Carol on the same day.”
This second phase of the four-month long anniversary celebration programme, according to the coordinator of the Anambra, Majesty Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe (Agbogidi), Obi of Onitsha ,the event is fashioned to draw attention to the “rich tourism potentials of Anambra state, especially in this period of economic difficulty which calls for diversification and creativity in the revenue drive of the state.” This is line with Governor Obiano’s plan to make Anambra less dependent on monthly federal allocation from Abuja.
Coordinator of Anambra Anniversary, Enema Okonkwo, while addressing the traditional rulers of the 179 communities in Anambra State, at the Government House, Awka, said; “the Anambra @25 Committee wants to use this historic silver jubilee of our dear state to showcase not only our rich cultural heritage, natural endowments but also our unique tourisms potentials.
“Tourism all over the world is a big business. Many countries around the globe derive huge revenue from tourism and Anambra with its diverse tourism endowments, should rightly be on the front role of tourism sector in Nigeria if the sector is well developed, essential as government has provided the enabling environment for it to thrive.”
Speaking further, he said: “We are grateful to the government of His Excellency, Governor Willie Obiano, for the decisive manner it fought against criminality and insecurity in Anambra State in the past two years. Now with a secured Anambra, we will no longer be afraid to invite our brothers, sisters, friends and other tourism enthusiasts from within and outside the shores of Nigeria to come and have a feel of tourism in Anambra State.”
He added that developing and harnessing the tourism potentials in Anambra will not only earn the state extra revenue but also stimulate economic activities in the regions that host the numerous tourism sites in the state.
