CARNIRIV: Tourists Flood PH

CARNIRIV: Tourists Flood PH

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Hundreds of tourists have arrived Port
Harcourt, as the Rivers Carnival gathers momentum.

Some tourists, who spoke to newsmen, said
that the festival ranked among the best in the country, adding that in spite of
the heavy traffic and exorbitant hotel cost, the festival promised to be a
memorable one.

A tourist from Lagos, Mr Christian Adebayo,
said he was impressed with the activities so far on display. “Despite the high
cost of hotel accommodation; I’m having so much fun here and I pray that my
state governor replicates this initiative in Ogun state,” Adebayo said.

According to him, after one year of stress,
it’s nice to come here and meet different people from different cultural,
traditional and ideological backgrounds “and relax and enjoy oneself”.

Another tourist, Mr Udoh Effiong, from a
Calabar, who came with his family, said the festival had improved.

Effiong said the festival offered him the
opportunity to move away from the hassles of life as well as spend quality time
with his family. He, however, said the traffic situation had affected his plans
to further explore the city.

A businesswoman from Maiduguri, Hajia Halima
Mahmud, said that she travelled far to the state to witness the carnival in
order to explore business opportunities in the city.

She said that she was impressed with the
cultural display so far and commended the state government for the initiative.

Mahmud said that she was interested in the
costumes displayed at the carnival and would try to toe the line of business in
order to make profit.

A commercial bus driver, Mr Azubuike Amadi,
said that with the influx of visitors, his daily income had nearly tripled
since the commencement of the festival.

He, however, said that the traffic situation
had limited his business expectations during the festival. According to him,
the state government should urgently construct more roads, so as to avert
future traffic gridlock during the festival.

A costume retailer at the carnival village,
Ms Susan Harry, said she had made good sales due to the influx of people in the
area.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Tourism
Development Agency (RSTDA) says it is partnering with the state traffic
management agencies to ensure free-flow of traffic during the “CARNIRIV 2012”
as Port Harcourt witnessed increased human and vehicular traffic since it began
on December 9.

Director-General of the agency and a popular
Nollywood actor, Dr Sam Dede, told newsmen yesterday that the agency also
engaged 250 volunteers to act as road marshals for the festival.

He said; “We are in en-sync (partnership)
with the Traffic Management Authority of Rivers State (TIMARIV). “We are
en-sync with the Federal Road Safety Corporation, the Police and everybody that
is a specialist in traffic management. “The same thing we expect to see on the
day of the freestyle parade; we are putting on ground 250 volunteers as traffic
Marshals and some of these volunteers are commissioners in the state ex-co; we
are not taking anything to chance at all.

Meanwhile, residents and tourists have a
tourist, who spoke to newsmen at the carnival village, commended the state
government for the festival.

A civil servant in the state, Mr Michael
Ideka, said the cultural festival would engage the youth and reduce the crime
rate during the festive period.

“Festive period like this; by one engagement
or the other; they (organisers) have little money they pay them; so they
(youths) will be focused on these things at this period; they will not think of
doing things negatively.”