Personality in Focus
Opinion: Reaction to NTDA Bill and Board Composition
By Martins Osagie
There are serious exceptions to many aspects of the new NTDA Bill recently signed into law by the President. One singular character that is absolutely perverse about the Bill is that it is devoid of any sense of ownership or inclusion of the Private Sector Tourism Stakeholders’ interests. It purely emanates from the selfish interest of bureaucrats or tourism administrators, along with parliamentarians, whose penchant are forever fixated with creating Establishments for growing the bureaucracy for appointing cronies; then harvesting the inevitably padded budgets, and the clandestine thoughts of how to fleece the fledgling private sector tourism businesses.
From the thoughts of our ace travel writer, Frank Meke, the conversion of the acronym ‘’Tourism Corporation’’ to ‘’Tourism Authority’’, might as well be a clever ploy to circumvent the Supreme Court judgement that expressly puts tourism under the concurrent legislative schedule of States. As if to seek tacit cooperation of the States in this subterfuge, there is an offer of an alliance for a common purpose as to create fresh inroads into the seeming fertile turfs of State Governments. To even choose the acronym: ‘’Authority’’, is an irony, because as against the common use of that word, our Tourism Administrators hardly dispense any real value to the private sector, in spite of the humongous budgets they arrogate to themselves. The recent Covid19 palliatives that was dangled before distraught tourism practitioners, without eventual succour, is a case in point. The State Governments could easily fall for this scam as willing allies in a bid to form an easy cartel for emasculating the struggling private sector practitioners. We should expect that the Constitutional Courts will be engaged sooner for the needed legal fireworks.
In the case of the NIHOTORS Bill, it has been reasoned that if the NBA of legal practitioners, the ICAN/ANAN of accounting practitioners, the NMA of medical practitioners, the NIM of Management practitioners and many other such professional bodies can register and regulate their members as regards their own practice, why should the Federal Government continue to maintain budget guzzling agencies to regulate Tourism practitioners – a profession in which they have never proven themselves to be well grounded. Even the Hospitality and Tourism Institutes run by NIHOTORS can be outsourced more efficiently to the Private Sector if the debt ridden federal government is ready to reduce the cost of governance.
In conclusion, if the aim of these Bills is to create optimal synergy between the Public and Private Sectors in tourism, they should take full cognisance of the interests of the Private Sector practitioners who are the investors navigating the rough professional terrain, rather than the way these Bills were passed through Hearings without noting or accommodating the private practitioners’ interests. In which case, such Bills ought to be jointly sponsored by both Sectors, if they are not to be designed as one-sided, or exploitative of one party.
Core tourism stakeholders, especially the legacy associations (ATPN, NANTA and NHA), have been anxious alb initio about the composition of the NTDC Board in the Draft Bill, as it did not consist of a balanced representation of tourism experts and core stakeholders. It is more of those performing purely ancillary services like Immigration, Customs, Finance, etc, that are favoured in the Bill. It was opined that when politicians are added to this equation of intended statutory public service members, what will be left for tourism representation is of such marginal consequence as to render the Board technically a lame duck.
Most of those being proposed for this supposed “Tourism Development” Board properly belong to a Tourism Facilitation Committee. A truly tourism development Board should have a preponderance of the Tourism Legacy Associations (ATPN, NANTA and NHA) who have been recognized since the onset of the development of the industry in Nigeria and as reflected in the previous Act. From the new composition of the Board, the majority of its members will be mere bench warmers and invariably end up with the effect of jumping from the frying pan to fire, by being worse than the Act it came to supplant.
A Tourism Board that cannot decode the knowledge gaps that account for the long stagnation of the Tourism industry in Nigeria can only be considered dead on arrival, and, like many others, be invariably consigned to irrelevance. In conclusion, the Board of NTDA, as a developmental agency, should rightly be composed of more professional industry stakeholders in the Real Sector (as represented by the legacy associations) and the technical experts who can decode the accumulated issues of performance deficits that bestride the industry, rather than swarming it with representatives of ancillary Public Service Agencies and politicians. The former NTDC Act should not be substituted with any discretionary Board composition except to further co-opt those with the technical skills to salvage the Sector from the unmitigated inertia occasioned by subsuming Tourism under a non-business oriented Department.
Martins Osagie, a tourism practitioner, writes
from ATPN Benin, Edo state
The Lagos State Police Command, under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, has extended its heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Ayo Ogunsan on his well-deserved appointment as the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF).
In a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), the command noted that “Dr. Ogunsan’s appointment is a clear testimony to the unwavering trust and confidence that the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has in him.”
Reminiscing Ogunsan’s trajectory in the world of administration and security, the statement stressed that “Over the years, Dr. Ogunsan has demonstrated exceptional selflessness and commitment to strengthening the security architecture of Lagos State.”
The Command further noted as follows:
“The Commissioner of Police is confident that Dr. Ogunsan, as a distinguished member of the LSSTF Board, will assume this new role with deep institutional knowledge, proven integrity, and unwavering dedication, coupled with a strategic understanding of the security needs of Lagos State. The Command has no doubt that he will deliver on his mandate successfully.
“Dr. Ogunsan’s continued valuable contributions to the LSSTF and his longstanding partnership with security agencies across the State have positioned him exceptionally well to steer the Fund towards greater operational efficiency, an outcome that will undoubtedly enhance public safety and security throughout Lagos State.
“The Lagos State Police Command once again warmly welcomes his appointment with deep optimism and hereby assures the new Executive Secretary of its unwavering partnership and cooperation. The Command is proud of him and immensely happy to be associated with him.
“The Lagos State Police Command looks forward to further strengthening the existing synergy, support, and operational collaboration with Dr. Ayo Ogunsan and the LSSTF team in ensuring the continued safety and protection of all residents and visitors in Lagos State.”
Prior to his appointment, Ogunsan was a Board Member of the Trust Fund.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the appointment of some senior officers to top strategic command and positions, aimed to strengthen command structures and reposition the Nigerian Army for heightened operational effectiveness.
According to a statement by Army’s spokesperson, Lt.-Col. Apollonian Anele, on Thursday, the appointment cut across key command, staff and instructional positions across formations, units and training institutions of the Army.
Among the new appointees are: Major General Bamidele Alabi, who has been redeployed to Army Headquarters Department of Policy and Plans and appointed Chief of Policy and Plans (Army); Major General Jamal Abdulsalam, formerly Chief of Special Services and Programmes at Army Headquarters proceeds to Defence Headquarters Department of Operations as Chief of Defence Operations while Major General Peter Mala moves from Office of the National Security Adviser to Headquarters Training and Doctrine Command Nigerian Army (TRADOC) as Commander.
Major General Samson Jiya, from Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre (NAHFC) moves to Defence Headquarters Department of Defence Accounts and Budget as Chief of Defence Accounts and Budget.
Other strategic appointments include, Major General Mayirenso Saraso from NAHFC to Army Headquarters Department of Operations as Chief of Operations (Army); Major General Isa Abdullahi from Defence Headquarters to Army Headquarters Department of Administration as Chief of Administration (Army); Major General Musa Etsu-Ndagi from Army Headquarters to Department of Training to Army Headquarters Department of Civil-Military Affairs as Chief of Civil-Military Affairs. Major General Abubakar Haruna from NAHFC to Nigerian Army Training Centre (NATRAC) Kontagora as Commander and Major General Philip Ilodibia from Army Headquarters Department of Policy and Plans to Defence Space Administration as Chief of Defence Space Administration.
Others are: Major General Godwin Mutkut, from Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) N’Djamena to Headquarters Infantry Corps Centre as Corps Commander Infantry, Major General Umar Abubakar from the Ministry of Defence to Headquarters Nigerian Army Armour Corps as Commander Armour Corps, Major General John Adeyemo moves from Nigerian Army School of Artillery (NASA) to Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery as Corps Commander Artillery and Major General Mohammed Abdullahi from Nigerian Army Cyberwarfare Command to Headquarters Nigerian Army Signals as Corps Commander Signals.
Also, Major General Taofik Sidick has been redeployed from the NAHFC to Headquarters Nigerian Army Finance Corps as Chief of Accounts and Budget (Army), Major General Abdullahi Ibrahim from NAHFC to Headquarters Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps as Corps Commander Ordnance, Major General Adeyinka Adereti from Defence Headquarters to Headquarters Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers as Corps Commander, Major General Nansak Shagaya from Army Headquarters Department of Operations to Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport as Corps Commander Supply and Transport while Brigadier General Yusha’u Ahmed has been appointed acting Corps Commander Education.
The COAS also approved the appointment of Major General Oluyemi Olatoye, from Headquarters 82 Division/ Joint Task Force South East Operation UDO KA to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna and appointed Commandant, Major General Emmanuel Mustapha from Defence Space Administration to Nigerian Army Signal School as Commandant, Major General Adamu Hassan from Nigerian Defence Section, Riyadh, to Nigerian Army School of Artillery as Commandant and Brigadier General John Bulus from Headquarters Nigerian Army Finance Corps to Nigerian Army School of Finance and Accounts as Commandant.
According to the statement, the senior officers appointed as field commanders includes, Major General Saidu Audu from Army Headquarters Department of Training to Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), N’Djamena, as Force Commander, Major General Warrah Idris from Defence Headquarters to Joint Task Force North West Operation FANSAN YAMMA as Commander and Major General Oluremi Fadairo from Army Headquarters Department of Civil Military Affairs to 82 Division Nigerian Army, Enugu as General Officer Commanding and Commander Joint Task Force South East Operation UDO KA.
Other appointees are Major General Olatokumbo Bello as the Director Defence Media Operations at Defence Headquarters while Brigadier General Samaila Uba was redeployed from the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji to Defence Headquarters as Director Defence Information.
The CIAS charged the new appointees to bring to bear their wealth of operational experience, administrative acumen and strategic foresight in driving a disciplined and combat-ready Army to decisively confront the contemporary and emerging security challenges.
He urged them to sustain the current operational momentum, strengthen interagency collaboration and remain unwavering in upholding the Nigerian Army’s core ethos of loyalty, selfless service, integrity and excellence.
Former Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) and the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Otunba Segun Runsewe, has bagged the award of Pillar of Nigerian Culture and Tourism.
The award was conferred on him by the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET), the umbrella body for Nigerian travel press, on Thursday, October 23 at a colourful ceremony held at the prestigious Sheraton Lagos Hotel and Towers.
He was among some distinguished Nigerians from public and private sectors, including the former Nigerian Minister of Tourism and Culture, Ambassador Frank Ogbuewu, who were honoured for their contributions to the growth and development of Nigerian tourism.
Other distinguished Nigerians conferred with awards were: Otunba Wanle Akinboboye (Foremost National Tourism Builder and Creative Mind), Mr. Jemi Alade (National Trailblazer in Inbound Tour Operation) Engineer Tarzan Ganiyu Shekoni Balogun (National Icon in Tourist Boat Operations and Water Transportation), Mr. Nkereuwem Onung (Icon of Consistency and Resilience in National Tourism Leadership), and Chief Abimbola Bode-Thomas (Hospitality and Tourism Management Amazon).
Speaking on the award conferred on Runsewe and the other awardees, the President of ANJET Mr. Okorie Uguru said the awards aim to promote the culture of service to the people, and also showing appreciation to those who have served the nation with distinction while holding public office.
He said: “It is not about celebrating those who are serving the country now, but showing appreciation to those who have served in the past, to challenge current political office holders to put in their best.
“The individuals and distinguished Nigerians we are honouring are among the people that built the visibility and growth the tourism industry is enjoying today… They have contributed, and are still contributing to the sector.
“As holders of institutional memories and archivists of this industry, we know the roles they have played and are still playing in the development of the Nigerian tourism industry. That is why years after some of our awardees have left public offices, we still call them to bestow this honours.”
While receiving the award, Runsewe lamented the inability of Nigeria to take tourism seriously. He said: “I stopped talking for some time because there are too many talks in tourism, there is no action. We come; we speak big English and go back. Today, I am going to reveal two or three things. The last time I came out was to speak to the new executives of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN). For me, I am almost tired of talking, because there is no action.
“Let me first of all thank Ambassador Ogbuewu today. He said he does not want to come, so I urged him to come. It is only the living that can be celebrated. Let us thank God that during our lifetime, we are being celebrated. It is not everybody that has that opportunity.
“I can stand anywhere and talk about this industry. I do not need a book.
“Ambassador Ogbuewu you would recollect that President Obasanjo took your very good self, led a delegation to Trinidad and Tobago. That was the day Obasanjo made a statement, he said ‘I going to stand on the existing protocol’. That was the first time they heard that English. The then president of Trinidad asked, ‘what is he talking about.’ That is a tourism brand.
“People do not understand tourism yet. People think it is only about moving from one place to the other. No. Let me reveal a few things: how many of us know the late Pastor T.B. Joshua. T.B. Joshua was selling religious tourism and nobody keyed into it? When T. B. Joshua was having his conference in Nigeria, there were over 20 private jets parked at the airport. I, maybe you did not know before today, I normally go to the airport to list how many countries they come from. I have my data. There is religious tourism in Nigeria. We have not tapped into it. We see them as pastors. Yes, pastors doing their job, but there is tourism content in what they are doing.
“If this country manages tourism well, we should not have a single child looking for a job. After agriculture, tourism is the biggest employer of labour, but we are still playing games, we are still telling ourselves stories.”
He thanked ANJET for the award and encouraged them to continue with the good work in the industry.
