Some residents of Epe Division on Wednesday called on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, to resuscitate abandoned tourists and heritage sites across the communities.
They made the plea in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Epe on Wednesday.
NAN reports that the division includes, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Agbowa-Ikosin and Eredo.
They said that the revival of the sites would reposition tourism industry in the ancient communities.
A resident, Mr Sulaiman Oluwo, said that the abandoned tourist sites had hindered development of the tourism industry in the division.
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He said that the communities were blessed with enormous tourism potentials that could attract local and international tourists into the division.
Mr Opeyemi Ibrahim, a tourist, said that the division was one of the places he loved to visit.
He said that he had been visiting Epe in the last few years and found the community interesting for relaxation and entertainment.
“The government needs to promote the enviable potentials to attract investors. The community is losing millions of naira worth of investment, government needs to pay urgent attention to it, to boost its economy,” the tourist said.
Also, Miss Peju Akanji, a businesswoman, appealed to the government to revive the moribund industries in Epe, to create employment opportunities for the indigenes.
She said that the resuscitation of the industries would not only create employment opportunities for youths but boost the socio-economic development of the community.
“It will also increase the local and state government’s revenue, alleviate poverty and reduce unemployment challenges in the community,’’ she said.
Mr Ademola Olufowobi, a resident, identified some of the moribund industries to include, Epe Sawmill, the only plywood industry in Epe.
Others are, Yes Agric, a project of former Gov. Babatunde Fashola in Epe, Water Corporation (Epe Water Works), as well as privately owned industries like, Oluwalogbon Motors in Ilara-Epe, Nigerian Lamp Industry and Adebowale Electronics, owned by Late Beyioku Adebowale and the Oluwo Fish Market. (NAN)