Stakeholders must promote Akwaaba — Sadiq Mohammed, Tourism Minister  

Written by Austin Jacobson   

Since Alhaji Sadiq Abubakar Mohammed became the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation,   government has been trying to facilitate the participation of Nigeria in various international events and the expansion of the industry. In this interview with AUSTIN JACOBSON at AKWAABA 2010, the minister shed more light on the issue.

EXCERPTS:

What is your impression about this event?

My impression is that it’s a serious business that is organized by serious people to promote tourism in Africa, and my assessment is that they have done very well. So, we need to encourage them because they are promoting us. I urge stakeholders to support the fair and ensure that it grows bigger and bigger from within the continent and outside. Clearly, we know that Africa has the potential to be the destination of choice and that is what this fair is all about. I encourage them to continue to do more, and we will continue to support them as government, and stakeholders and do what is required now.

Is there any special role government is playing to make the fair better?

We will facilitate the participation of other stakeholders. Countries and governments are willing to do more. We will continue to do more of the organizing to improve in the concept. We are also ready to give them all the support they desire to expand the scope and involve more participants. I use this opportunity to urge African countries and people who are interested in Africa to come forward to support this fair so that it will grow and make Africa one the best destinations in the world.

Since your assumption of office, are there structures that you have put on ground to encourage private sector participants?

There are sufficient laws on ground, government is improving on the infrastructure and is doing more to create and enabling environment for tourism to thrive. What remains is for those in the private sector to come in and leverage on this to develop the potentials that are found within the country.

As a minister, what do you think the organizers of this event need to improve upon?

First, identify the real people in the sector. We need more participants from across Africa since it is an African affair. We have to be able to identify people who have invested deeply in the sector. Also, we need to bring out the potentials so that people who come around here will be able to see what they can invest in.

Abuja Carnival and NAFEST seem to be the same thing, are there things you can do to have a singular product?

I disagree, NAFEST concept is not the same with Abuja Carnival. NAFEST started long time ago and it is for a few artists who are normally known, and its content is to promote culture, which are not included in Abuja Carnival. We can’t have one carnival in Nigeria, we are a rich country we are suppose to promote our culture and what we posses, so if you think NAFEST alone can promote Nigeria’s culture then I think we have a problem. If you go round the world to the countries that are populated like Nigerias, there is no way you can stage one festival and think it will promote our rich culture.