South South States Urged to Enhance Culture, Tourism Development

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By Inyang-Blessing Ita | 

Summary of the Story

  • Honourable Israel Lubura Ngbuelo urged BRACED commission members to integrate cultural ingredients within member states and establish electronic satellite stations to showcase the region’s rich cultural heritage globally.
  • The BRACED member states are Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Edo, and Delta.
  • Over-dependency on oil and gas has hindered cultural heritage and tourism potential in BRACED states.
  • Regional synergy is crucial for indigenous states to participate fully at national and international levels.

Members of the BRACED commission have been urged to integrate all ingredients of culture within the member states.

They should also have electronic satellite stations that are of global coverage, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the region that will create reciprocity from other nations in the diaspora.

The Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism in Rivers State, Honourable Israel Lubura Ngbuelo, made the call in a keynote address at the summit of BRACED states commissioners of Arts, Culture and Tourism, held on Thursday, 17th October 2024, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

BRACED Member States  are made up of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta states.

Honourable Ngbuelo noted with concern, the over-dependency on Oil and Gas, which has significantly set back cultural heritage and killed the tourism potentials in the country and BRACED states.

He added that regional synergy will encourage indigenous states to fully participate in both at the national and international levels, to fulfill the commission’s aims to accelerate progress towards a robust economy that will benefit and promote the people of the South-South region of Nigeria.

This, he emphasized, will be successful by deploying result-oriented policies coupled with new budget allocation to revamp, reshape and redesign the Arts, Culture and Tourism sector.

Also speaking at the Summit, the Cross River State Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Honourable Abubakar R. Ewa, commended the Director General and staff of BRACED commission for organizing the meeting which was very apt.

Hon Ewa highlighted the state’s eco-tourism, entertainment and famous calabar festivals.

He said Cross-River State’s tourism strategy focuses on local content development, leveraging comparative advantages, creativity, and equitable indigenous participation.

He said the state is developing agro/eco-tourism, starting with preliminary identification across senatorial districts.

The key projects, which are:

– Renovating Obudu mountain resort.

– Developing Qua falls in Akamkpa Local Government Area.

– Promoting biodiversity conservation

– Partnering with East Africa Community (EAC)

– Synergizing with Continental Free Trade Area Development Initiative (AfCFTA)

– Attracting overseas investment

– Creating sustainable livelihoods

– Harmonizing budgeting for infrastructure development

– Fostering economic diversification through tourism, arts, and culture.

He highlighted the tourism potentials of Akwa-Ibom in beautiful beaches, Rivers’ Borigetta and cultural costumes, Edo in art development and historical kingdoms.

In her submission, the Edo State commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Honourable Dr. Uyi J. Oduwa Malaka, proposed digital transformation using technology, leveraging unique cultural heritage, the use of comparative advantages, setting up infrastructure to house policies, laws, processes and master plans, encouraging collaboration over competition and implementation through BRACED Commission.

Edo prioritizes arts, culture, and tourism, utilizing technology and heritage.

The Director General of the BRACED Commission Ambassador  Joe Keshi, emphasized key points to Commissioners and stakeholders to boost tourism in the South-South region.

*Identify Comparative Advantage*: Recognize and develop unique strengths in each state.

*Strategic Planning*: Adopt systematic approaches to achieve set goals.

*Infrastructure Development*: Establish good road networks and robust security systems.

*Cultural Promotion*: Organize regional festivals to showcase arts and culture.

*Long-Term Planning*: Set 10-20 year targets for art and culture development.

*Collaboration*: Share ideas and best practices among Commissioners.

*Digital Presence*: Create functional websites and engage on social media.

*Tourism Transformation*: Address issues hindering tourism growth.

*Policy Framework*: Develop intentional documentary policies for planning and budgeting.

*Effective Implementation*: Fix dates and timelines for budgeting and proposals.

*Self-Sufficiency*: Engage consultants, don’t rely solely on government.

*Feedback Mechanism*: Utilize questionnaires for project feedback.

By implementing these strategies, the South-South region can unlock its tourism potential, drive economic growth, and promote cultural exchange.

Present in the summit were the Commissioners for Arts, Culture and Tourism and Stakeholders of:

Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa and Delta States respectively, who also made their submissions.

The highpoint were cultural displays by the Rivers State people, showing off their cultural diversity in unity and group pictures of the Members of the BRACED commission, Stakeholders and the DG.

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