The Lamido Gashaka in Taraba, Alhaji Zubairu Hammangabdo, on Sunday urged the media to assist in promoting the tourism and agricultural potentials of his domain.
Hammangabdo, a first class chief, made the plea at Gashaka when executives of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Taraba Chapter, paid him a courtesy visit. According to him, the area plays host to the Gashaka-Gumti National Park (GGNP) which was gazetted from two game reserves in 1991, and is Nigeria’s largest national park, covering a total area of about 6,402 km.
“Much of the northern GGNP is savannah grassland, while the southern part of the park has a rugged terrain characterised by very mountainous , steep slopes , as well as deep valleys and gorges, and is home to mountain forests.
“The altitude ranges from about 457 metres (1, 499ft ) in the northern flatter corner of the park , up to 2 , 419 metres (7,936 ft) at Chappal Waddi, (the Mountain of Death). It is Nigeria’s highest mountain located in the park’s southern sections.
“It is an important water catchment area for the Benue River. There is abundant river flow, even during the markedly dry season.
“I believe these and many others in my domain will be of interest to local and international investors in the sector, and our doors are always ready to welcome interested parties,” he said.
On agriculture, Hammangbdo, also a seasoned journalist, said the area had the state’s third largest landmass suitable for cultivating cocoa, sorghum, millet, rice, cotton, among other cash crops.
The emir assured that with the good road leading to Gashaka and the commercial bank that operates in it, the area was well positioned to become the tourism hub of the state.
The Chairman of the chapel, Mr Oluwole Ayodele, said the visit was to condole with the emir over the recent death of his elder brother, Alhaji Mustapha Hammangabdo, the Ciroman Gashaka.
Ayodele said the death of Mustapha was an irreparable loss not only to the emirate council but also the area and the state.
He said the deceased had contributed significantly to the development of the state during his active service as a council chairman, a commissioner and a special advisor to a former governor of the state. The chairman assured the emir that the chapel would continue to partner with individuals and groups in promoting developmental journalism.
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