Follow Us on Google
From Chukwudike Nwimo, Awka
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Anambra State Council, has tasked Prof. Chukwuma Soludo to transform Ogbunike Cave into a tourist centre to generate more revenue for the state.
Soludo recently made a U-turn on his earlier order that mandated hawkers, wheelbarrow pushers, and vulcanizers to pay tax after such a policy was criticised by eminent citizens in the state.
However, after the Union’s recent tour to the cave, as part of the activities marking their 2022 Press week, the Council members advised government to transform the cave into an attraction centre if it desired increased revenue generation.
Speaking during the visit, the NUJ Chairman, Odogwu Emeka Odogwu emphasised that the cave has been an “oil well” yet to be tapped by any administration in the state.
“Such a gift as Ogbunike cave has been existing without government’s presence. Why should the state government not give out this place to developers to erect fantastic hotels or create an estate around the place, so that people all over the world can visit for tourism?
“Let Governor Soludo’s government not play by the words, let them play action because there are good developers out there who can do a fantastic job and turn the place to a source of revenue for the community and the governmen.
“For instance, Journalists were asked to pay one thousand nairas each, to access the cave. Government can turn around the place by building structures that will make the place lively, and in the same way, ensure people pay more than what is currently paid.”
NUJ Press week committee chairman, Tony Okafor, recommended that the cave should be illuminated. According to him, “the impenetrable darkness in the cave can cause an avoidable accident should the cave remain as it is. The local guards even attested to this fact.”
To make the place a potential world-class tourist center, Tony opined that “sacrifices inside the cave should be discouraged. Whatever god(s) the sacrifices are made to can be redirected to a corner of the cave where such sacrifices shall be out of sight and out of hearing.”
