ABUJA – The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Investment, Commerce and Cooperative in Niger, Mr Kabir Dan’ababe, has urged the Federal Government to provide intervention fund for the promotion of the country’s culture.
Dan’ababe made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the ongoing 2014 Abuja carnival.
He said that the low turnout of participants at the carnival was as a result of lack of funding by the Federal Government.
“ The participation at this year’s carnival is not encouraging at all. Any state you see at this year’s carnival is sponsored by the state government.
“The states represented here is a reflection of passion of some state governor’s for culture. But for this show of love of culture, many states would not have participated in the 2014 carnival.
“The Federal Government should think of what to do to motivate the state governments to ensure that they sustain their participation at the festival in the drive to showcase their various cultures at the next Abuja carnival.
“If the Federal Government can provide two million naira to each state, it will go a long way in supporting the carnival and also the nation,’’ he said.
Dan’ababe also said that the 2014 carnival was low keyed, attributing this to the activities of insurgents in the north eastern part of the country.
He noted that the low participation had been a major challenge to stakeholders in the industry, and urged the organisers to keep the carnival running and thriving.
He commended Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger for his continuous support in promoting the culture of the people through the involvement of the state in the carnival since 2007.
He, however, enjoined the Federal Government, non-governmental organisations and other relevant stakeholders not to relent in their support for the culture and tourism sector.
“ The cultural sector should be developed to make it one of the best sectors in the effort to make Nigeria one of the biggest economy in the world by 2020.
“This vision will only be actualised with the support from all tier of the government with Federal Government in the driver’s seat,’’ he said.
He further encouraged Nigerians to believe in and be proud of their culture, tradition and heritage, and strive to showcase these to the outside world.
Mr Emmanuel Ameh, a civil servant, said that the carnival should provide an opportunity for the country to erase the wrong impression created by the security challenge in the country as a result of Boko Haram insurgency.
Ameh said that Nigeria culture and tourism sector had the potential of attracting foreign tourists if given the necessary focus and priority.
Also, Miss Foluke Aransiola, said inadequate publicity about the event would rob potential tourists and residents of the opportunity of fun and fanfare at the carnival.
NAN reports that only seven states took part in the opening ceremony of the event which started wiithout the usual carnival truck floats decorated with bunting, barner and balloons in the street procession.
The state contingents that took part in the opening of the carnival were those from Niger, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Kogi, Kano, Zamfara and the FCT.
NAN reports that the one-week carnival which is the 10th edition has the theme “Building an Enduring Creative Nation’’. (NAN)