MINISTER of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Mr. Edem Duke, says the Federal Government will train 13,000 youths in tourism business as part of its youth development plan.
Duke announced this in Makurdi on Thursday during the 2012 World Tourism Day celebration..
He said government would provide employment opportunities to unskilled youths, who had obtained secondary school certificates to become professionals in tourism business.
The minister said the youths would be trained and accredited as waiters in museums, historical sites, heritage sites and national parks.
He said it would create employment opportunities for the unemployed youths as well as instilled in Nigerians the natural endowments of the country, especially in the areas of theatre, landscapes and artistry.
Duke said tourism was the leading way of sustainable development, urging Nigerians to place priority to the areas of fashion and arts business to showcase the rich culture of the country.
He said Nigeria must begin to pay attention to tourism if it desired to be top among the economically-developed countries of the world.
Gov. Gabriel Suswam of Benue, who was represented by his deputy, Chief Steven Lawani, said the state was one of the leading contributors to tourism in the world.
Suswam reiterated government’s determination to develop the state’s tourists’ attractions such as Ikyogen Cattle Ranch in Kwande and Ikwe Holiday Resort at Igbor.
He said improvement of tourism sector of the economy would solve the problem of extreme poverty and unemployment among the youth in the state.
Suswam called on local and international organisations to partner with the state in tourism business.
Mrs Comfort Ajene, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for choosing Benue to celebrate the day.
Ajene said that the state would join others in the country to contribute significantly to the economy through tourism