Vanguard
14 October 2008
Former member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mr. Arthur Apeti, yesterday, said if the state tourism sector is properly harnessed it has the potential of taking away from the creek many jobless youths especially militants who are up in arm against the government alleging deprivation and neglect by the Nigerian state.
Apeti who is also the proprietor of Apeti Travels and Tour in an interview with Vanguard in Yenagoa blamed the upsurge in militancy in the troubled creek of the predominantly riverine delta on the high rate of unemployment among the youths.
Describing tourism as a money spinning venture worldwide but which is yet to be fully harnessed in the troubled delta due to insecurity, he said the past and present administrations in the country are only paying lip service to the issue of the Niger Delta region.
The former lawmaker, who noted with sadness that some people are capitalising on the Niger Delta crisis to maximize profit at the detriment of the people in the region, said the beauty of history in Bayelsa which though is in the hinterland is being neglected because of this fear of insecurity.
Apeti, who is also the chairman of Yenagoa yacht club, noted that tourism sector, even though it is money spinning could only thrive in peaceful and conducive environment, adding that no tourists would visit any region that is bedevilled with crisis.
"Tourism is a money spinning venture all over the world and it is high time we took advantage of our rich cultural heritage and breathtaking environment endowed with nature's beauty to develop eco-tourism.
The development of this sector will no doubt provide our army of jobless youth's employment by taking away many of those in the creek since they will be meaningfully engaged," he said.
Checkmating the activities of the militant youths in the region he noted can only be successful if the leaders at various tiers are sincere in bringing about the desired change where investors will move in free to invest in the local economy.
According to him, many people are being scared of investing in the region because of the prevailing security situation.
Apart from the prevailing security challenges, the former lawmaker listed as impediment to the growth of tourism most especially as it affects the hotel management, the provision of social services including power generation.
He cited instances where private businesses especially hotels operating in the state run on diesel pleaded with the government as part of its civic responsibilities to the people to provide an uninterrupted power supply.
"If the various hotels in the state are performing at optimal level, the level of unemployment will be drastically reduced and subsequently put and end to reported cases of restiveness notably among the youths," he said.
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