Mohammed urges promotion of heritage to boost national tourism

Lai Mohammed

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has challenged traditional leaders and stakeholders to take full ownership and protection of national monuments and heritage to boost the nation’s tourism.

Mohammed who made the appeal yesterday in Kano at the opening of two days management retreat of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, posited that until communities where the sites located compliment government efforts in the preservation and conservation, it will be difficult for the rich cultural heritage to attract international recognition. 

Represented by director general of National Commission for Museums and Monuments Yusuf Abdullah Usman, the Minister reminded that part of the major challenges facing World heritage nomination in Nigeria include community neglect and relegation of the sites saying that such attitude had it practically impossible to be enlisted in UNESCO’s record. 

The nonchalant attitude, the Minister also posited has hindered economic viability deposited in tourism sub sector. The DG of NCMM, Yusuf Abdullah Usman hinted that the commission is faced with challenges of neglect of traditional maintenance, growing apathy against heritage sites and weak legal frameworks for the protection and preservation of heritage resources. Usman said the retreat would enable the staff and curators to review the action plan for 2017-2021 in line with current realities.