A bright, cool morning on the Jos Plateau set the scene as a ribbon was cut and keys were handed over to a new chapter for Plateau State’s tourism sector.
At the centre of the brief are three modest but vital structures: an office complex for staff, a generator house, and a record store built by the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes Project (ACReSAL) and formally handed to the Plateau State Tourism Corporation.
For many in attendance, the buildings were more than brick and mortar; they were a tangible answer to a long-standing problem how to protect perishable goods, keep tourism services running through power outages, and provide a professional headquarters for a corporation charged with showcasing the state’s natural and cultural attractions.
“This is about more than convenience,” said the Tourism Corporation’s General Manager, Chuwang Pwajok, at the brief ceremony. “It is about making our work sustainable, preserving what the ecosystem, and making the Jos Wildlife Park a more reliable and attractive destination for visitors.”
The cold store drew the most attention. Situated within easy reach within the park, it is designed to preserve fresh produce, meats and other perishable items that too often spoil during long hours without refrigeration. A sturdy purpose built generator house sits beside the office block. It is a practical acknowledgement of a familiar fact: In many parts of plateau state, power outages can derail stored goods. The generator house equipped to supply steady electricity to the office complex and cold store was applauded as a small but critical piece of urban resilience.
“The generator means we are no longer at the mercy of the grid when we have conferences, events, preserve produce” said a representative during the ceremony. It is about ensuring continuity of service of safety and livelihoods. The new office complex offers modern office space for the Jos wildlife park staff in particular including meeting rooms, a small reception area and administrative offices that the wildlife team had previously lacked or had to share with other agencies.
Officials say the space will help the Jos wildlife park to coordinate and developed tour products speaking during the handing over ceremony, the ACReSAL Project coordinator in Plateau State, Garba Gonkol appreciated the benefits of collaboration with the Tourism Corporation and appreciated the Governor of Plateau State for giving all the support to ACReSAL.
Responding, the General Manager, Plateau State Tourism Corporation, Chuwang Pwajok was visibly excited with the intervention and investment at the Jos Wildlife park calling on the state to ensure judicious use of the facilities warning that the investment must be protected and sustained in the interest of the State.
