Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

News

2016 Budget: What Buhari Allocated to Tourism is a Mere Token – Lai Mohammed

Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed yesterday faulted the budgetary allocation to the culture and tourism ministry in the 2016 budget by President Muhammadu Buhari, describing the allocation to the ministry as ‘mere tokenism’.

The minister also noted with regret that the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration had zero allocation in tourism and culture in 2015 for capital projects in the sector.

Besides, he disclosed that the Federal Government had concluded arrangements to retrieve all artefacts and portraits stolen from ancient Benin Kingdom and sold abroad which were found at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.

He disclosed that the government plans to establish arts and craft centres across the 774 local government areas of the country.

This is just as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has said that there was no more paying of lips service in economic diversification.

Speaking during sectoral debates on Nigeria’s economy, at the House of Representatives, the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, said that for there to be meaningful development in tourism, the government should provide good road network and steady light.

He noted with regret that tourism was a contributing factor to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, in other countries but only contributed less than 1.5 percent to the Nigeria’s economy.

According to him, “The reality of the situation to which we have found ourselves today in Nigeria is that we really do not have any alternative to look into other areas of the economy and to of course move away from over dependence on oil.

“Tourism contributes to the GDP of many countries, unfortunately in Nigeria, this sector contributes less than 1.5 percent to the GDP. Apart from its contribution to the economy, culture and tourism creates wealthy and opportunities.

“This is the only sector that creates employment opportunities for those who ordinarily would have been unemployable, either due to lack of skills or lack of education. It is the only sector that is for the under privileged and the poor, it is a sector that brings peace and stability to the polity.

“It fosters unity and it discourages rural/urban migration. Regrettably, this sector faces many challenges today, ranging from institutional to logistics and then financials and these challenges have not helped the sector to achieve its potentials.”

He further said that perception was another problem the sector was having which had already affected staff in the minister who considered themselves as being posted to Siberia.

He said, “I will start with the challenge posed by perception. Another problem that faces this sector is that of perception. There is the perception that the culture and tourism portfolio is reserved for those who are least favoured and it is the Siberia of ministerial nominations unlike the perceived juicy places like petroleum, finance, works, power etcetera.

“This perception unfortunately percolates down to the staff of the ministry in charge of culture and tourism who lose their self worth and who seek every available opportunity to be transferred to juicy ministries. When they fail to secure transfer, they are discouraged and they felt condemned to their Siberia, hence do not contribute much to the sector.

“Also, there is the family and social angle to this. From the early age, our parents drum into our brains that we must better be doctors, lawyers or engineers. They made us know that those who studied the arts or who have any of these potentials are the great in the society, we need to change this perception.

“The truth is that any great invention is a product of a creative mind and creativity is at the heart of art and culture. Many may not notice, but legendary Italian inventor, Leonardo Da Vinci is not just into science. He was into mathematics and engineering. He was also into sculpturing and painting which are also creative art.

“Another major problem is in the area of allocation of resources. It is instructive that not one Kobe was allocated for capital project in culture and tourism in the entire 2015 national budget. Yet billions of Naira was allocated for over head and other recurrent expenditure in the same ministry during the same period.

“This is apart from several millions from SURE-P that were allocated to this ministry. With no kobo allocated for capital project, what were these staffers being paid to do? Of course they are being paid to be idle. Although, the situation is is slightly different in this year’s budget, yet, I want to say with all due respect that what is allocated is still a mere tokenism.

“This is one of the areas that the National Assembly can come in perhaps to approve for us a supplementary budget for this weaker sector.

“There is need for synergy among various ministries, departments and agencies. The culture and tourism ministry cannot stand alone, in order to work efficiently, there must be synergy between ministry in charge of this sector and various other ministries, departments and agencies.

__________ 

Follow us on Twitter at @thesignalng

Copyright 2015 SIGNAL. Permission to use portions of this article is granted provided appropriate credits are given to www.signalng.com and other relevant sources.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

Related

News

Nigerians are still bearing the effects of the policies of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, has said. Some...

News

Former President Goodluck Jonathan is expected in Takum, Taraba state on the 23rd of February, 2024 to commission the Kashimbilla Dam and the airport....

News

Muhammadu Buhari, has said that he deliberately refused to release his West African Senior School Certificate (WASC) in 2015 when he took over power...

News

Femi Adesina, former spokesman to former President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed that the president’s plane nearly crashed with him and his aides in November...

Copyright ©