Group mobilises support to upgrade Jabi Lake, seeks Govt, investors buy-in

Group mobilises support to upgrade Jabi Lake, seeks Govt, investors buy-in

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

A group of concerned Nigerians have joined forces to clean up Jabi Lake and make it top tourism destination for tourists in Nigeria.

This is even as Eco Club, led by Hayche Multi-Solution Consulting with support from Federal Ministry of Tourism, have commenced thorough clean-up of the lake with a view to transforming and elevating it to a tourism destination of sorts.

Speaking after a clean-up exercise at the lake,  the Chief Executive Officer, Hayche Multi Solutions Consulting, Ms Aisha Yusuf, stressed the need for infrastructure upgrade and elevation of Jabi Lake into a tourism destination. 

She expressed her organisation’s commitment to realising the dream, working in collaboration with interested partners.

‘‘We want to turn our tourism sports to destinations, so that people outside Nigeria can come here and have a wonderful time, it is so beautiful but so unkept. I belief we can make a difference, we started by empowering fishermen, starting with them, we can get more people involved in helping government turn this place around.’’

Also speaking, the Chief Organiser, I Believe Carnival, Mr. Omoefe Tawiyah said  tourism is a principal export for many societies and key for growth and wealth creation which underscores the need to  transform Jabi Lake and make an attraction centre for tourists in Nigeria.

He described Jabi Lake as a significant tourism site and major  revenue  source for the FCT, if properly cleaned up and revitalised, saying that it will be one of the destinations for tourists, as people will see and bring about enormous tourism investment to the country.

‘‘We residents in FCT can attest to the fact that a lot of people come here for picnics, for relaxation, couples come here to unwine.  There is the need for clean up, we are obliging partners, well-wishers, friends , meaningful  Nigerians to take it at heart and join hands  to make our society a great place. That is why we can use I Believe Carnival to educate people, create awareness on how endowed we are as Nigerians.’’

In her own remarks, the Chief Executive Officer, Crave Boutik, Chief Chinenye Kester said time had come for the lake to be cleaned up,  so that investors can come and partner with Eco Club, people can come here to have fun, relaxation. Jabi Lake can be a nice sighting to behold if the right actions are taken to transform it into an attraction centre.

“For me, food vendors, everybody in food industry should  come and partner with us and  make this environment clean, as at now, it is not okay for people to buy food stuff and relax.  The stench coming out here is not healthy. Let us come out together as a people and partner with government to develop and transform the lake, make the lake a destination place for tourists.’’

In his submission, the Executive Director,  Tourism Volunteers Network, Amb. Phil Roberts, expressed delight in the collaborative efforts of the various partners trying to restore the Jabi lake to its lost glory.

‘‘We are excited that this has come to light today, I see three things here: ocean, marine and infrastructure tourism. Infrastructure together, which the minister of FCT is already doing. Abuja has a lot of tourist sites, our advocacy now is to turn those tourism sites into tourism destinations, which is what Eco Club is doing. Jabi Lake has all the qualities of becoming tourist destination.’’

Roberts, who represented the minister of Tourism, encouraged FCT tourism department to see how it can put the lake in its catalogue and transform it into a  four Star destination for tourists.

He also encouraged FCT residents to stop throwing dirt into the lake but join hands to make it clean.

‘‘Starting with this, our advocacy will continue to reach out to other potential tourism sites in the FCT. I charge every Nigeria to make tourism the biggest revenue earner for Nigeria.’’

On her part, the Founder, Africa, Hair Summit, Ms.  Adanna Enwezor  underscored the need to protect the environment and keep it  safe for the good of mankind.

For Enwezor, the clean-up of Jabi Lake is long overdue and requires an emergency to save the FCT residents from possible pandemic break out. ‘In her words,   ’Everything is about environment, everything come from nature. If we keep poisoning nature, we hurt ourselves. For me, this is long overdue, not keeping this place clean is a problem, the sicknesses that will come of this makes it a matter of urgency, it is a pandemic and needs all hands to be on deck.

‘‘Apart from activities in the lake, you can also have activities around the lake. In addition to the clean- up, I am excited that people are being thought environmental sanitation, properly equipped so that when guest come here, they will be better informed and taken care of.’’

According to Nigerian celebrity, Mrs. Oge Kimono, the revamping of Jabi lake would bring endless opportunities to the FCT and Nigeria.  ‘‘With this step taken, an endless opportunity can come out of this Lake if well harnessed and managed properly, and kept clean. These are things that can bring people to Abuja and generate revenue. There are so much that can come out of this place.’’