Plateau State Government has decried encroachment into Jos Wildlife Park by the host community, describing it as a threat to the safety of the wild species and members of the community.
Mr Peter Mwankon, the outgoing Commissioner for Tourism, Culture and Hospitality, made this known while handing over the affairs of the ministry to Mrs Martha Azi, the Permanent Secretary, on Thursday in Jos.
Mwankon said that an Inter-Ministerial Committee with membership from the Ministry of Lands and Survey, among others, had been inaugurated to investigate and proffer solutions to the disturbing situation.
He said that the government recently acquired more animals as part of efforts to re-stock the park, adding that individuals found culpable would be made to face the wrath of the law.
According to him, the animals, including a pair of crocodiles, red-fronted Gazelle and a male Equis Calabus, were acquired in 2016 through exchange programmes with the Audu Bako Zoo in Kano State and Sanda Kyarimi Zoo in Borno.
The outgoing commissioner said that during his tenure, moribund hospitality outlets were leased out to private organisations to resuscitate them and generate revenue for developmental projects.
“ We signed a 15-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a France-based company, Kanerkrizo Parks Limited, which invested N81 million to renovate and upgrade the Pankshin Hotel in 2017 as well as another N60 million MoU with Jimroose International Limited to do same in Jos Plaza Hotel.’’
Mwankon further said that the ministry resuscitated cultural festivals to promote indigenous culture of the people while also participating in both local and international engagements.
He thanked the state governor for appointing him to serve and urged the staff of the ministry to cooperate with the incoming commissioner in order to make Plateau a tourism hub.
In her remarks, Azi commended the outgoing commissioner for his open door policy and prayed for success in all his future endeavours.
Gov. Simon Lalong had on Feb. 8, dissolved the State Executive Council.
The outgoing commissioners were directed to hand over to their permanent secretaries, pending the appointment of new commissioners.