Lagos State Government on Monday said it might have to consider holidays for the traditional worshipers in the state like other religions.
This is even as the Commissioner for Tourism, Art and Culture, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, during the ministerial press briefing marking the second year anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at Alausa, Ikeja, said that the government was ready to make Lagos a tourism state.
According to him, the ‘Community Based Tourism Initiative’ in the state local government areas would boost domestic tourism and community participation.
“This is to address community-based tourism potential by locally creating more awareness about tourist destinations and explore the strengthening and improvement on locations while offering authentic, affordable and favourable experiences and packages that meet the needs of tourists”, she said.
Akinbile-Yusuf also said the state would maintained its ‘Tourism Master Plan and Eko Culture Series’ adding: “With the master plan, we hope to lay the foundation for developing a comprehensive and sustainable tourism strategy for the state which focuses on rich heritage, community development, heritage management, preservation and revenue generation.”
On holiday for traditional worshipers, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Solomon Bonu, said a bill at the state House of Assembly, which would soon be signed into law by the governor, would earmark a public holiday for traditional worshippers and regulate their activities.
“Very soon, the State House of Assembly will pass a bill regarding the activities of traditional worshipers. With the bill, there will be a specific day earmarked for them as a public holiday or work-free day, and on that day may likely be in August.
“The government will organise activities to celebrate with them at a venue where all worshipers will gather to showcase their stuff. Again, this bill will also regulate activities of the worshipers; including masqueraders, in order to turn it tourists’ attraction,” he said.