ABUJA - As part of efforts to boost tourism, the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) plans to organise a series of road shows to sensitise the citizens to the need for a clean environment.
Reports say that the first in the series, tagged ‘’Clean Environment for Better Tourism’’, was held in Abuja on Saturday to reawaken the residents’ consciousness for a healthy nation.
According to the Director-General of the NTDC, Chief Olusegun Runsewe, the programme is aimed at attracting tourists into the country.
“Nobody will come to a country noted for filth.
The first thing you see in any country is a clean environment but in our case what you see is a dirty environment which does not tell a good story about us.
‘’If we clean our homes, streets and indeed our surroundings, it will go a long way to resent us as a decent people,’’ he said.
Runsewe said that it was everybody’s social and moral responsibility to make the country clean and tourism friendly.
He said that a healthy environment would save Nigerians huge medical bills since a dirty environment could lead to an outbreak of epidemics.
In her remarks, Mrs. Aisha Adebayo, the Deputy Director of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, said that littering the environment was a punishable offence and would be treated seriously.
She said that the road show was to remind Nigerians to keep a clean environment and ensure the payment of their waste disposal bills.
On the occasion, Mr. Ejike Asiegbu, President of the Nigeria Guild of Actors, harped on the need to include Health Education and Tourism in school curriculum.
He noted that ‘’cleanliness is next to godliness’’ and said that it was mandatory for individuals to keep their environment clean at all times.
‘’It is our social responsibility as actors and actresses to support this laudable initiative by the NTDC to make Abuja and indeed Nigeria clean.
‘’We are going to support this project in all possible ways through our films, advertisements and documentaries,’’ he said.
He said the project could only be sustained with the support of the media and other stakeholders involved in the drive for a tourism friendly nation.
Mrs. Fatima Sani, the President of the Market Women Association, Abuja, said the project would be re-launched in the markets starting with Utako on Wednesday.
‘’We thank the NTDC for starting this programme because we have been teaching our women to keep a clean environment but since there is no enforcement, they have not taken it seriously.
“Now we have the right to punish any offender and we have already agreed on N1,000 fine,’’ she said.
The road show was attended by musician Daddy Showkey as well as notable actors and actresses such as Shan George, Uche Iwuji, Charles Inojie, Francis Duru and Emeka Ossai.
Organisations such as the Hotel Owners Forum and the National Council for Women Societies, FCT chapter, also took part.
|
