Asaba Community Plans Big for Tourism Development

The Asaba community has resolved to explore the potentials of the tourism industry as part of efforts to brand the ancient town and now the fastest growing state capital in Nigeria.

To this end, the 14th Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty, Asagba Prof Epiphany Azinge, SAN, OON, constituted a Tourism Committee to work out modalities for tourism development in the town.

Speaking while receiving a proposal for the establishment of a beach front and other tourists attractions from a consultant, Barr Oladipo Bali, the Asagba said he was keen on using tourism as a tool to brand Asaba and approved in principle that the proposal should fly.

He noted that the beach front, a wax museum that would contain 50-60 images of notable Deltans, the 123-feet Christmas tree for the 45 days of Christmas in Delta, amongst others, highlighted in the proposal, were all worth investing in and challenged the Tourism Committee to go back to the drawing board to work out modalities for the take off of the projects.

On the estimated cost of the beach front, put at N50 billion, Asagba Prof Azinge said: “There’s no figure that will be mentioned here that will be scary, no. N50 billion, yes, but N50 billion for Asaba is not too much. Definitely we have to work around things and you have said that it will be private sector-driven and the pay back modalities will be worked out in such a way that at the end of the day it becomes a win-win situation.

“I’m particularly concerned about branding this town because it deserves to be branded. We have said repeatedly that this is the fastest growing state capital, not just in Nigeria but in Africa south of the Sahara. But we may not be able to retain that status unless we improve on the tourism aspect of this town. That’s why it is uppermost in our minds, that’s why it is important that something is done.

“As always, I don’t ever believe that it’s only government that can do something for the people. There comes a time the people must do certain things for themselves. This should be one of them. I believe that when we get involved in this, you will be surprised that even the government of the day will want to come on board. That’s the only way we can lure them, so the job is ours and nothing more.

“I listened to you talk about the timeline. I will have to look at the document again, but the greater part of the work will have to be done by the Tourism Committee. You need now to go back to the drawing board to work out other modalities and all other mechanisms that will be needed to get some of these things started. Mine is just to give an endorsement; an approval in principle, but the greater part of the work is for you to do and increasingly you will be reporting back to me.

“In principle, I agree with the presentation, and I endorse that we have to go ahead with it. Let the Committee now explore further what should be on board and how we can carry on with it. But let me also add that the whole emphasis and focus should not just be on this alone because there are so many other tourism potentials in Asaba that the Committee should also be able to pursue hand in gloves with this particular one.

The monarch thanked the Consultant for the visit and presentation, and commended him for the good work he was doing at the Mariam Babangida Leisure Park, and for agreeing to work with the Asaba community to develop tourism.

Earlier in his presentation, the Consultant, Barr Oladipo Bali, who was introduced by the Tourism Committee Chairman, Engr Chief Chris C. Chukwurah, said the beach front project, with a completion timeline of 12 months, would cost N50 billion and would have a max museum of 50-60 images that would be displayed at the cost of £25,000 each, among other facilities, adding that it would be private sector-driven.

Barr Bali also revealed that a programme tagged ’45 days of Christmas in Delta’, which would run from 1st December to 14th January, was being proposed, with a Christmas tree of 123 feet high to be mounted around Mariam Babangida Way junction on the expressway.

He said the 45 days of Christmas programme was designed to give Delta, especially Asaba, a signature in tourism, adding that the 123 – feet Christmas tree, the tallest in Africa, could put Asaba in the Guinness Book of Records.