Commissioner Harps On Tourism Dev

The Imo State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mrs Ugochi Nnanna-Okoro, on Monday stressed the importance of tourism in the socio-economic development of the country.

She made the remarks when she received members of Course 35 Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, near Kaduna, who are on a study tour of Imo State.

Nnanna-Okoro said the relevance of tourism in a country could not be quantified, pointing out that “it is the major engine of economic growth of many nations of the world’’.

She noted that the hospitality industry would not only generate revenue for the government, but exert spillover effect on the lives of the people by creating employment and market for their products.

The commissioner said that Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State had adopted a holistic approach to transform the state, “leaving no facet of the state’s economy untouched’’.

She commended the governor for promoting and preserving Igbo language by making its teaching compulsory in schools.

Nnanna-Okoro pointed out that the state’s ministry of culture had established a team to visit schools to ascertain their level of compliance with the directive.

“Soon, we will establish the Igbo cultural centres at the three senatorial zones where Igbo language and culture will be taught,” she said.