From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
Federal Capital Territory Administration has vowed to make Abuja a major African tourism hub, with plans to develop a world-class city center and attract both local and international visitors.
The Permanent Secretary of the Social Development Secretariat, SDS, Olubunmi Olowokere stated this when received a delegation from the Emerging Abuja Initiative led by its Programme Coordinator Dr. Kenneth Ibe-Kalu, in Abuja.
Olowookere appreciated the group’s vision for the city adding that it will enhance both the economic and social development of the nation.
She urged the group to extend the rebranding to the grassroots saying there are rural areas that are due for rebranding.
The permanent secretary therefore pleged the secretariat commitment to collaborate with the group in achieving the goal.
Earlier in his presentation, the programme coordinator of the Emerging Abuja Initiative, Dr. Kenneth Ibe-Kalu who described the expected impact of Emerging Abuja as huge stressed that the vision aims to give Abuja a change of fortune in terms of its standing in the tourism index.
According to him, lots of jobs will be created and the citizens will be gainfully employed to deliver such projects.
“It will robustly boost the internally generated revenue for the FCT” he stressed.
“A significant impact of the Emerging Abuja will be in the area of wealth creation as new opportunities will come up for the people to tap from direct investments that will suffice, once the programme comes on stream” Dr. Ibe-Kalu added.
“It will jump start the process of transforming FCT into the foremost Unit among the Federating units in terms of IGR in the foreseeable future thanks to your valued co-operation and understanding towards leaving a legacy programme that generations of Nigeria yet unborn will applaud. “
