Some youths across Epe Division of Lagos State have urged the federal and state governments to revamp all moribund tourism sites in the area to generate revenue.
They made the plea in separate interviews with journalists in Epe on Thursday. They also expressed concern over the sorry state of tourism sites across the division.
A youth leader in Epe, Mr Ayo Balogun, said that tourism sites in the area could generate millions of naira for the government, if revived and developed. He listed some of the tourism sites as Sugbon Eredo, Idiroko, Hot and Cold Flowing River, Igi Meta Ibeju, Ejirin market, mangrove forest and others.
According to Balogun, the sites are also capable of creating jobs for the teeming youths of the area, if developed
Also, Mrs Jumoke Ayodele, a resident decried the neglect of tourism sites in the division.
She urged the state government to develop the tourism potential of the division by reviving moribund sites in Epe.
“If all those historical sites are revived , they will reposition the face of tourism at the grassroots level,” she said.
Similarly, Mr Gbolahan Lawal, a youth in Epe, said that Sugbon Eredo, Ejirin Market were popular tourism sites in the state, some years back .
“These tourism sites attracted thousands of people yearly to the town.
“All these tourism sites put Epe Division in a spotlight until those sites were abandoned,” he said.
Mr Tunde Adekoya, a tourism enthusiast, also noted that some of sites were owned and managed by both the state and federal agencies.
He, therefore, called on the concerned authorities to do the needful by revitalising the moribund tourism sites across the division.
Adekoya also said that if all the ancient tourism sites were revived, thousands of employment opportunities would be created ,and revenue would be generated by government.
He said that the revival of tourism sites across the division would not only attract local and foreign investors ,but attact tourists and boost the socio-economic development of the area