At a time of austerity, the Nigerian government continues to use (waste) taxpayers' money to subsidize religious pilgrimage to countries that are multiple times richer than us.
We refuse to develop our tourism sector. We allow terrorism to drive potential tourists away, and we have refused to explore a gold mine and continue to waste billions on private quests of individual Nigerians - and the people that are often sponsored on these trips are close relatives of the politicians, not ordinary Nigerians.
Any Nigerian that wants to go to Jerusalem, Mecca, or Medina should spend their own money, not taxpayers' money. It is the height of stupidity for supposed poor country like Nigeria.
Nigeria has the potential to make triple the amount we make from petroleum from tourism if we make the right decisions. Address insecurity, and make laws that will encourage and provide credits to private sector participants to invest in the sector. Streamline visa application process...
I just came back from Nigeria . I traversed the length and breadth of the nation a bit in my three-week stay. Something is different about the country compared to when I visited last year.... The people are more desperate... Hunger has increased astronomically.... The gap between the haves and have-nots has further widened... You feel impunity in the air... You see police collecting bribes openly like we have not seen since the Shagari era in 1983... There are more law enforcement agents on the roads now, yet the crime rate has not abated... You see VIO , Road Safety, State Law enforcers, the Police, everywhere mounting illegal roadblocks... I heard things from those close to the seat of power about those who hold the reins of power, and I weep for Nigeria - it is beyond disheartening... Projects are being abandoned because a significant portion has been given as bribes to government officials like governors and ministers, including major monarchs - they all collect money for projects...
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