Lagos postpones 2020 boat regatta, festival over COVID-19

Lagos State Government on Tuesday announced the indefinite postponement of the Greater Lagos Regatta and Festival earlier slated for April.

The state’s Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat AkinbiIe-Yusuf, who disclosed this at a press conference in Lagos, said the postponement of the event followed the outbreak of Coronavirus in the country.

However, the commissioner said the government would restrict the numbers of participants whenever it decides to hold the event.

Nigeria recorded its third of Coronavirus since the outbreak of the disease in China last December.

The first case was an Italian who had been treated and recovering at an isolation centre in Lagos.

AkinbiIe-Yusuf said the three days event has been put on hold pending when the Coronavirus generally subsides.

The commissioner said: “The state government will not take any chances, though, it is not cancelling the event but will prevent participation from foreign countries because of the global threat of COVID-19 to human lives at the moment.

“The ministry is aware of the COVID -19 and we are working with the Ministry of Health to create washing of hands points, provide hand sanitisers, and ensure the safety of Lagosians before, during and after the programme.”

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“Our intention is to market Lagos tourism to investors beyond the shores of this country, we want them to see and appreciate the rich cultural heritage and aquatic endowment of the state.

“We are being forced to limit participants for this event to tourists and fun lovers within Nigeria because we do not want to expose Nigerians to the Coronavirus ravaging world. We believe that good media coverage could still help market the tourism potentials of Lagos State to the international audience.”

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