Abia State government has taken a determined step towards collaborating with the Federal government in reviving and refurbishing national museums and other monuments across the State.
The development was made known by Martins Okey Justice, a Senior Special Assistant, SSA, on tourism and entertainment to the Abia State Governor.
The SSA, who paid a courtesy visit to Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Professor Abba Tijani at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, expressed the State government’s desire to revamp the sector.
Martins, who was received on behalf of the NCMM D-G, by the Director of Museums, Mr Abdul Gimba and other management staff, made special reference to the dilapidated former Eastern Nigeria Administrative Building, which is popularly known as Ojukwu Bunker.
He said apart from Ojukwu Bunker, other great monuments belonging to the NCMM but situated in the State, would also be revamped by the Abia State government, to make them become international tourist centres.
Martins explained that governor Alex Otti has instructed him to supervise a total overhaul of the Culture and Tourism sector in the state to reposition it for tourist attraction and employment opportunities, adding that the hospitality and tourism sector would drive the State’s economic development in the next two years.
While expressing the State government’s gratitude to the Federal government for its interests in the proposed museum rehabilitation plans, the SSA said that Governor Alex Otti was very passionate about developing all tourist sites in the State.
Ojukwu Bunker, which is located at Afara, National War Museum, at Amafor Isingwu in Umuahia North LGA, are two major tourist sites in Umuahia.
