Visiting Members of the House Committee on Culture and Tourism have stated that the Training School project of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) in Kuje, is a laudable project that will not be abandoned by Federal Government, assuring that the Team will report the reality on ground so that the project will not be allowed to die.
The Team, made up of Hon. Muniru Abiodun Hakeem (Oshodi/Isolo II Federal Constituency), Hon. Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi (Gashaka/Kurmi/Sardauna Federal Constituency) and Hon. Idris Mohammed (Lavvn/Edati/Mokwa Federal Constituency), was conducted round the project site during their oversight function visit by the duo of the Executive Secretary, Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, and the Director-General, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Alhaji Munzali Dantata.
While being conducted round the structures in the 6.3 hectares of land, the Team Leader, Hon. Hakeem promised that the Committee will follow up on the visit to ensure that the project is actualized, stating: “The most important thing is that we have visited the project site. The land is good enough. There are efforts on ground. We should not allow the dream behind the acquisition of this land to die. We will surely report what we have seen to the House. However, I implore both the ES and DG to open up space for discussion. Both of you should sit down and marshal out plans. Look at how much of the land each of the two parastatals has developed and the ones to further develop. Cross-fertilize ideas. Then, both of you can meet your Minister and discuss with him. On our side, as a Parliament, we will interface, and with our report, we will make the House know that the Government is putting money in the project and it should not be abandoned. It is laudable.”
The ES, who expressed his joy over the visit by the Committee Members, told them the worry of the Institute over the project, especially lack of an access road to the site: “It is a thing of joy for us for the House Committee Members to visit here (the Kuje site), so that you can experience what we have been experiencing over the years. You can see that there is no access road here. Please, we call on the Federal Government to exercise strong political will towards completion of this project, so that the land does not lie fallow.”
On his part, the D-G, NIHOTOUR said though the compound is meant for NICO and NIHOTOUR, his parastatal was ready to leave the compound for NICO, if such agreement was reached, and another property is acquired for NIHOTOUR in Abuja, because NIHOTOUR wants to have a befitting Training Hotel.
Nwagbo Nnenyelike
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