A tourism destination marketer, Raphael James, has called on the Federal Government to rehabilitate Ado Awaye Hanging Lake in Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State.
James made the call while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Tuesday.
He said that the nation’s only hanging lake remains a death trap for tourists as the staircases adjoining the lake were in dilapidated state.
According to him, under the pretext of keeping the lake in its natural state, it has become unattractive and dirty.
He said: The Ado Awaye Hanging Lake is in its worst state, the staircases are old, broken, damaged with greenish water.
“Tourists must be careful not to fall while climbing because it is a death trap for whoever falls.
“Government must work on it to attract tourists, considering the fact that there are only two hanging lakes in the world – Ado Awaye, Nigeria and Colorado in the United States of America.
“The hanging lake in Colorado generates millions of dollars annually so we can imagine what we can gain if ours is properly maintained.
“Whoever is visiting the hanging lake are taken to the King of Ado Awaye village where they pay a token before going to the lake, this money should be used to take proper care of the lake.”
James said that the Federal Government had not paid due attention to most of the country’s heritage sites which were capable of generating huge revenue for the nation.
He suggested that for proper maintenance of the nation’s heritage sites, tourist’s passage should be automated and computerised, saying this would also give room for accountability.
The marketer said that within the lake, an artificial lake could be created on top of the mountain with beautiful fish to attract tourists.
He added: “There are no refreshments on the lake, it looks so boring and abandoned, we must create interesting activities around the lake.”
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