Benue to spend N3 billion on zoo garden

BENUE State Government in its efforts to make the state a tourist attraction centre, is set to development Makurdi Zoological Garden at the cost of N3 billion.Governor Gabriel Suswam dropped this hint during a courtesy call on him by the representatives of Afri-Consults, led by Mr. John Ogidi, at the government house, Makurdi.Suswam intimated that the zoological garden would be turned into a resort centre with befitting accommodation.The governor expressed regret that the garden, which used to be a centre of attraction in the past had been abandoned for over 20 years by successive administrations in the state, stressing that the Ministry for Culture and Tourism was recently created for the purpose of developing the tourism potentials of the state.He stated that state government will soon sign a memorandum of understanding on the development of the Zoological Garden with Afri-Consults, adding that the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Comfort Ajene, would soon be travelling to Botswana to discuss with investors on the development of more tourist projects in the state.The governor, who said efforts are on advance stage towards exploiting the potentials of Ikyogen Cattle Ranch, further announced that Makurdi Island would be leased to a firm which has already started the feasibility study.Earlier, the leader of Afri-Consults delegation, Mr. John Ogidi, had told the governor that the company has had transactions with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other organisations for which funds have been raised for their projects and assured that the same process would be followed in the case of the Benue project.
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