Osun State Government has directed a comprehensive upgrade of the popular Erin Osun Water Falls following outcry of the dirty condition and neglect of the tourist site by one of the tourists who visited it recently.
The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, while reacting to a viral video on the state of Erin Osun Water Falls on Tuesday, announced that “the government is implementing a systemic upgrade after decades of neglect by previous administrations.”
Alimi noted that the tourism infrastructure upgrade plan covers the Osun groove, Owala inland beach resort in Olorunda Local Government, Sango Timi Shrine in Ede Local Government, Ayunkunnugba Water Falls in Oke-Ila Orangun, in Ifedayo Local Government and other cultural sites.
“On the state of the tourist sites in Osun, particularly Erin Ijesha Water Falls in Oriade local government, Governor Adeleke directed the fast tracking of ongoing renewal initiatives for the site which include the formation of a tripartite committee for the management of the site among others,” he said.
Alimi who noted that the entire management of Erin-Ijesha Water Falls site is currently under the purview of Erin Ijesha community said the status quo is meant to ensure localisation and overall local content to boost the local cultural and tourism industry.
The commissioner said the governor directed that a tripartite meeting between the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Information and Public Enlightenment and the leaders of Erin-Ijesa community be held tomorrow, Wednesday 14 August, 2024, to fashion out how to further maintain the environment and come up with an acceptable template that will benefit all interests involved.
“I want to assure the general public that the Osun State government under Governor Ademola Adeleke has a comprehensive tourism agenda which covers all our cultural and tourism sites. The meeting tomorrow will increase the phase of reforms to satisfy the aspirations of the community and tourism community,” he stated.
He reassured the public that Osun government is passionate about tourism, and has outlined it as one of its five point agenda, noting that the state is open to public private partnership.
