Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has said the huge investment in cultural tourism and forestry potentials of the state could increase the internally generated revenue.
Governor Fayemi said a mechanism has been set in motion to invest in cultural tourism, wildlife, and forestry with huge eco-tourism potentials, with the intention to make them epicenters of recreation, attraction, and learning.
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Fayemi said this in Ado Ekiti yesterday, after receiving the report of a six-month survey of 31 cultural sites, led by an expert, Dr. Babajide Agboola, and staff of Ekiti State forestry commission.
Represented by the Chairman, Ekiti State Forestry Commission, Surveyor Kayode Olaosebikan, he assured that some sacred places like Ogun Onire Groove, Esa Cave, and 29 others with forest and cultural potentials, will be designated as “Community Protected Areas”, in line with the 2016 Ekiti State Forest Law.
He said to curb illegal deforestation and rural insecurity, his government will recruit more guards to implement forest laws in the state to prevent bandits from using forests as safe haven for nefarious activities and checkmate illegal loggers that are depleting the forests.
“The government is not unaware of the dreaded activities being perpetrated by some criminals in the forests. The State Forestry Commission already has a proposal, which will be approved soon. We want to hire more guards to safeguard our forests against insecurity and illegal lumbering that can endanger our people and our economy,” he said.
