The Federal Ministry of Information and Culture (FMIC) has re-affirms its collaboration and support towards the implementation of programs. Welcome2Nigeria Project(W2NP)
The ministry said it is important to encourage private sector involvement in the development of Nigeria tourism, culture and creative entertainment sectors of the economy, which is exactly the unwavering support it is rendering to W2NP.
This was stated by the Permanent Secretary (PS), Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Dr. Ngozi Owundiwe, when the Ministerial Working Group (MWG) on Welcome2Nigeria Project paid a courtesy visit to the latter, to brief her on the progress of the partnership-project since the inauguration of the Group, and the need for more support from the federal government to ensure the speedy implementation of its programmes.
Briefing Owundiwe, on the Ministry’s cooperation with WellcometoNigeria Ltd on the Project and the progress made so far, the Director, Domestic and Eco-tourism Department of the Ministry, Mrs Patricia Narai, in the company of the Director, Creative Entertainment Services Department, Mrs Ugochi Akudo Nwosu and the Director, Cultural Industries, Mr. James Adeyemi, said the ministry has been providing technical support to the Project during the first Inter-Ministerial Working Committee was set up 15 years ago, and also for the Ministerial Working Group, which was set up and inaugurated in 2021.
Narai informed the Permanent Secretary of the composition of members of the Ministerial Working Group and the extent of the non-financial support the Ministry has been rendering to W2NP.
She said the Ministerial Working Group comprises of members drawn from various departments of the ministry, which are: the Domestic and Eco-Tourism, Creative Entertainment Services and the Cultural Industries Departments and officials from WellcometoNigeria Ltd, respectively.
Supporting Narai’s briefing, the President and Founder of Welcome2Nigeria Project, who is also the Managing Director of WellcomeToNigeria Ltd., Mr Isa Yusuf Sago, explained to the PS about the project and its benefits to the economy of the country.
In his briefing, he told Owundiwe that government cannot be left to handle everything, in respect to programmes of national development, that it must be support, and such actions is the responsibility of every Nigerians with strong ideas, hence the conceptutalization of W2NP and the conviction to approach the Ministry for collaboration 15 years ago.
Sago said the Project is a win-win for Nigeria, as it excavates diverse socio-cultural and economic opportunities for the country, against the backdrop of diversification through harnessing of local resources and creating business platforms and linkages for startups, increase visibility of the country’s domestic tourism experience, as well, showcase the investment opportunities in all the focused sub-sectors.
Sago stressed that W2NP will help the country connect with other relevant sectors, protect and deepen country’s cultural values. He further stated that the Project is intended to develop and establish a three-level business promotion and engagement mechanism for MSMEs and entrepreneurs empowerment in the tourism, cultural and creative entertainment industries, especially in rural areas across Nigeria.
According to him: “We believe the programs of W2NP are what Nigeria urgently needs this time to arrest pressing socio-cultural and economic challenges the country is faced with, such as unemployment and spread of poverty.
“W2NP programmes are tailored-made, based on researches conducted within our local environment, and given the outcome of our works (and constant review), we have been able to create intervention programs to support government’s policies and actions in solving the growing economic challenges, where culture, tourism and creative entertainment serves as tools for massive wealth creation, revenue generation and redemption of national identity and values.
He said, government has a stronger and decisive role to play in the public-private-partnership initiatives, especially in the implementation process of W2NP programs, and as such, the Group is counting on the ministry’s weight to help it clear foreseeable challenges. He told Owundiwe that W2NP is partnering with Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment on EnjoyNigeria Expo (ENEX) and hosts of other federal government ministries and agencies.
“We won’t be able to achieve anything meaningful without deeper cooperation with government as our major partner, because we are desirous to reach out to relevant stakeholders and other prospective partners and sponsors, which without the involvement of the ministry in our approach, the successes of the programs would be limited,” Sago said.
He also informed Owundiwe of the Group’s readiness to begin the planning and aggressive implementation of 2023 programs of the Project, and that contacts are already being established with industry stakeholders in the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as, with relevant federal government ministries and agencies, for participation and support.
He informed the Permanent Secretary of the four programs lined up for implementation in 2023 but due to the interference of the country’s political activities, only two of the programs: WelcomeToNigeria Expo (WtNEx) and EjoyNigeria Expo (ENEX) would be held, later part of the year.
Responding, Owundiwe told W2NP team that from the briefing she got from the Directors, the ministry has never turned its back on the Project and has always stood by it and will continue to do so because the program supports the economic development vision of the Federal government.
She said, there is no doubt that, the programs of W2NP are laudable and as such deserves all the support and cooperation of government to ensure it successes, and that the ministry is willing and ready.
She said, though the ministry, doesn’t have funds to support the Project, as there isn’t provision for it in the 2023 budget, but however, any support, be it technical or establishing contacts with stakeholders to participate and support the programs, the ministry is always ready to do that.
Owundiwe said from the briefing, it shows the ministry has come a long way with WellcometoNigeria Ltd. on W2NP, and that it will give all the programs and the Ministerial Working Group its full backing, but directed that it should be periodically briefed on the progress of the planning of the programs.
WellcometoNigeria Ltd. team led by Mrs Isa Sago had Mr. Henry E. Sambo, Mr Micheal Odidi and Ms. Franka Yakubu.
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