Nigeria: Coy Commits U.S.$1Billion to Transform Zuma Rock
Leadership (Abuja)
29 May 2008
Posted to the web 29 May 2008
Pamela Sombo
Leadership (Abuja)
29 May 2008
Posted to the web 29 May 2008
Pamela Sombo
The contractors handling the conversion of Zuma Rock into a tourist haven by equipping it with world-class facilities have disclosed that the sum of $1 billion has been set aside for the commencement of the first phase of the construction work.
Towards this, the company has solicited the support of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) towards making the project a befitting tourist attraction in the world.
The managing director of the company, Texas Pacific limited, a subsidiary of Coastline Group, Mr. Tom Patterson, made this known when a visiting delegation of the company paid a working visit to the corporation to solicit support and cooperation towards making the project a befitting tourist haven.
He disclosed that the company is set to build a resource centre on the rock which will cost over $1 billion with the aim of constructing classical restaurants, retreat and business suites on the rock.
The managing director, who further said the rock has been zoomed with a satellite, revealed that this has enabled them to understand fully all that is required and also enabled them know the problems involved.
He however said the dream of turning the rock into an attraction for tourists from all over the world to visit is very possible and towards achieving this, the company is going to construct a Disney kind of amusement park, water park, amphi theatre and an African village. And all these will have the diverse Nigerian cultures showcased in them.
This, he continued, will make the place have the African touch, so that tourists coming from other parts of the world will have a feel of other cultures instead of leaving their homes to come and see the same things they left behind.
He pointed out that tourism is the first in terms of employment revenue generation in the whole world and the project will empower a lot of Nigerians and even other people from other parts of the world.
"Abuja has the opportunity to reach out and help both children and adults and still reach out to the whole world. This is an opportunity for Nigerians to rise to the top and be the strongest country in revenue generation," he revealed.
Tourism, he reaffirms, outshines oil and the determination of the present administration to make tourism a priority is very good for the economic development of a country as tourism changes a country.
In the remarks, the director-general of the NTDC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, disclosed that the corporation will partner and work with them to see that the project was achieved adding that Nigeria was endowed and the time was now for its potentials to be felt.
According to him, Nigeria offered a wide variety of tourist attractions such as rivers and ocean beaches that were ideal for swimming and other water sports, unique wildlife, vast unspoiled nature ranging from tropical forest, waterfalls, some new rapidly growing cities and climatic conditions in some parts were particularly conducive to holidaying.
The DG who reiterated that categorically that 'oil is good but tourism is better" expressed optimism that by 2018, Nigeria tourism will become the preferred destination in Africa.
According to him, tourism was the highest employer of labour today in many countries and NTDC was set to bring people to Nigeria to boost its economy through tourism. It was for this cause that the NTDC would support this project towards ensuring that Nigeria tourism became the preferred destination in the world, he stated.
