Plateau State alone can contribute N120 billion to the national coffers if its tourism potential is maximised, according to the Director-General, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Chief Olusegun Runsewe.
“With its rocks, the natural falls, the weather and many other tourist attraction centres, Plateau can contribute nothing less than N120 billion in tourist funds to Nigeria,’’ Runsewe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos yesterday.
The NTDC boss, who is in Jos for a `National Peace Week’, organised by the Ministry of Defence in collaboration with the NTDC and Plateau State Government, said, however, that exploring the potential was not possible without peace in the troubled north central state.
He pointed out that Plateau was always the destination of foreign and local investors, as well as foreign and local tourists until consistent crises scared everyone away.
“As a body, we have always scheduled our conferences here; at a time, every other year, the Federal Government held conferences in Plateau. That is no longer the situation.
“What we are targeting is a Plateau that will, in the next four to five years, add value to tourism. The sector is a crucial money spinner and the pillar of many economies worldwide,’’ he noted.
Meanwhile, the federal government’s peace week in Jos entered its second day yesterday, with no fewer than 100 youths representing various youth groups renouncing violence at an? interactive session with the NTDC and representative of the Chief of Defence Staff.
Runsewe said President Goodluck Jonathan had special interest in Nigerian youths which informed his decision to come up the Plateau Peace Week initiative to consolidate on the peace restoration effort in the state.