PRESIDENT, Nigeria Guild of Tourism Writers, Comrade Wale Ojo-Lanre, has commended the keen interest of the 8th Senate for coming out with one of the best proactive bills about the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC).
Ojo-Lanre made the commendation in a chat with journalists after the public hearing on a Bill for an Act on the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), held at Conference Room 022 of the Senate building under the auspices of the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, on Thursday.
The tourism buff resorted that is only the enemies of progress of the Nigerian tourism industry that will not commend the Senate for the giant stride of ensuring the needed fundamental legislation needed to establish a well-grounded, globally proactive tourism sector in Nigeria.
His words: “I must confess that the 8th Senate is a crop of proactive patriots, who are willing starve themselves of conveniences to ensure planting and entrenching fundamental legislations necessary to propel an enviable positive change and development in Nigeria.
“Though the Senate is on recess, yet majority of the members of the Committe were present at the public hearing. Even the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, who could not make it to the hearing made it a point of duty to be ably represented by Senator Bala Ibn N Allah, Senate Minority Whip, who disclosed that the NTDA Bill will reflect the intervention of those stakeholders.
“While the Committee on Culture and Tourism under the effective leadership of Senator Mathew Urhoghide has distinguished itself as having a rare interest in development of the Nigerian tourism by ensuring the planting and entrenching the fundamental legislations necessary for the sector to blossom and for seamless exploration and enhancement of tourism potentialities by the nation and its citizens.”
Ojo-Lanre noted that barely two month ago, the same committee, under Senator Urhoghide, gathered tourism stakeholders at the same venue for imputation of their views, contribution and input into NIHOTOUR Bill 2017, which according to him, was successfully conducted and applauded by the stakeholders.
The former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Chapter, also commended the foresight of the NTDC Director-General, Mr. Folorunsho Coker, for the Nigerian tourism industry.
“Coker’s appeal to the economic sensibilities and patriotism of the stakeholders is highly commendable,” Ojo-Lanre remarked.
While emphasizing the need for sequestering of the Tourism Ministry, Ojo-Lanre commended Mrs Chika Balogun, Director–General, NIHOTOUR, for her well articulated submission and support for the NTDC Bill.
Other stakeholders and participants in the public hearing the President of the Nigerian Guild of Tourism Writers commended included: Director–General, National Council for Museum and Monuments (MCMM), Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), Hotel Owners Forum of Abuja, HOFA,MD, Transcorp Hilton Hotels, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Institute of Tourism Professional (ITP), National association of Travel agencies (NANTA), National Association of Tour Operators, Nigeria Standard Organisation (NSO), and private individuals.
He charged all the tourism stakeholders to work together for the success of the Bill and the advancement of the Nigerian Tourism industry, which according to him, will improve the lots of the Nigerian Tourism practitioners and the nation at large.
