Delta State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr. Lawrence Ejiofor, on Thursday visited the Okpuzu Water Fall to ascertain the possibility of developing the river to a tourists’ centre.
The Commissioner was also at the Umuogwo Umuekea Ezemese Camp, Ibusa, to interact with Nollywood producers and actors on location shooting a movie.
The visits were facilitated by an Executive Assistant to the Governor on Youth Development, Honourable Innocent Esewezie, who is an indigene and also the Director General of the Delta State Community Youth Association.
Honourable Esewezie told the Commissioner that the Ibusa community, particularly was interested in developing the Okpuzu river and Umuogwo Umuekea Ezemese Camp to tourists’ centres in view of their potentiality to create jobs and boost the socio – economic lives of the people.
Also speaking, the President General of the Ibusa Central Youth Council, Comrade Ifeanyi Asiodu, said the youth body was ready to partner with government to actualize the projects and urged the Culture and Tourism Commissioner to place high premium on making the dream come true.
He pointed out that the Youth Council was working in collaboration with the Anioma Film Academy to make the Umuogwo Umuekea Ezemese Camp conducive for shooting of movies, adding that government’s Investment would make the Camp more attractive to movie producers and tourists.
In his remark, Culture and Tourism Commissioner, Mr. Lawrence Ejiofor, said government would look into the possibility of partnering with the private sector in the development of the Okpuzu Water Fall to a tourists’ centre.
Mr. Ejiofor explained that private sector involvement was key to the development of the tourism sector, stressing that the investors must not come from the community.
On the Umuogwo Umuekea Ezemese Camp movie shooting location, the Commissioner stated that government was already developing a Film Village at Ugbolu, which he said commenced in December last year, and would be completed by February, 2021.
He said the Okowa administration was committed to seeing the project to fruition and urged Nollywood producers and actors to make Delta their preferred destination for shooting of movies.
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