NAN-ELS-3
Carnival
By Collins Yakubu-Hammer
Abuja, Nov. 17, 2016 (NAN) The Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) has stressed the need for private sector participation in the 2016 Abuja Carnival as the event draws closer.
The President of FTAN, Chief Tomi Akingbogun, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
According to him, the non-participation of the private sector in the event is because the information and culture ministry did not send invitation to the sector.
He said that “Abuja Carnival is a creation of the ministry, by the ministry and for the ministry; the private sector is not part of it.
“We want the private sector to be involved from the point of planning but up till today, FTAN is not aware; we have not received any letter.
“We were never involved in the planning process, that was why I said it was created by the ministry and for the ministry.
“The hospitality industry never had any impact; hotel rooms were not booked, nothing at all.”
Akingbogun also expressed displeasure that the private sector was not carried along in the 2016 Abuja Carnival preparations, adding that “we do not know the budget and monies to be spent.
He explained that the carnival should be able to have multiplier effect on all sectors of the federal capital territory.
He added that “look at Lagos and Calabar carnivals; you can see the impact, hotels were fully booked, even petty traders recorded high sales.
“You can see the recent football match in Uyo between Nigeria and Algeria; the town was full, aircraft had high traffic of passengers, hotels were fully booked; that is tourism.”
The FTAN boss then emphasised that government should involve the private sector or hand over the event to the private sector.
He pointed out that “when private sector drives a carnival , it will be able to transform it into commercial venture that will impact the economy.”
Meanwhile, the Abuja Carnival which did not hold last year, would hold between Dec. 3 and Dec. 6 in the Federal Capital Territory. (NAN)
CMY/OSA/HA
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Edited by Shittu Obassa/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu