Ortom commends FG for establishing institute


Governor Sanuel Ortom of Benue state Tuesday commended the federal government for approving Makurdi, the Benue state capital as the location of the North Central Zonal Campus of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR).

Ortom gave the commendation at the official commissioning of the institute in Makurdi.

He said with the presence of the institute in Makurdi, Benue and other states in the North central geopolitical zone, stand to benefit immensely from the development of manpower in Hospitality and Tourism management.

The governor noted that many of the unemployed youth would be availed the opportunity to develop themselves through a wide range of professional courses being introduced by the institute.

Ortom said the Hospitality and Tourism businesses were the driving forces behind the development of most advanced economies of the world.

He stated further that  it was becoming very clear that the position of oil as the leading revenue earner in most oil producing countries is gradually diminishing.

“For that reason, many countries are looking elsewhere for sustenance. Hospitality and Tourism sectors have provided viable options as huge revenue earners.

“In Benue state, we have been moving in the same direction. We believe that Hospitality and Tourism businesses hold a lot of promise to the wellbeing of the state and that is why since our inception, we have been working relentlessly to promote and deepen the prospect of these potentially viable sectors.

Ortom further said plans were in place by his administration to ensure that tourism potential in the state were adequately developed to attract tourists to the state.

He stated that the numerous tourism sites in Benue were open to Public Private Investment and Partnership (PPIP).

“We have created a one-stop desk for potential investors to come and take advantage of the vast opportunities that exist in both our Hospitality and Tourism sub-sectors with the hope of maximising the enormous untapped resources available in the state.

“For instance, we have a village in Benue state which is known to be mosquito-free. It should interest the world to know the reason for this natural phenomenon.

“There are many other unique tourism sites such as Ikyogen Cattle Ranch, Ikwe Wildlife Park etc, which are begging for Private/Public Partnership or wholly Private intervention since government cannot possibly do it all,” he stated.

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