Standalone ministry of tourism will fast track development–Expert
Tourism
By Collins Yakubu-Hammer
Abuja, March 27, 2018 (NAN) Some experts have advocated a standalone Ministry of Tourism as the only way to put Nigeria on the global map of best and attractive destinations to generate more revenue.
They spoke with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja saying the ministry would concentrate on formulation and execution of policies and programmes to boost the sector.
While others said the merging of Tourism and Culture ministry with Information by the current administration was a misplaced priority, others call for the immediate separation to allow tourism to stand alone.
Mr Tomi Akingbogun, a tourism and hospitality guru said though the current minister of Information and Culture is making frantic effort to develop the sector, there is need for a separate Ministry for Tourism.
“Having a separate Ministry of Tourism will allow for concentration and focus on tourism; but where a minister is simultaneously dealing with information, culture and tourism, it will slow his pace.
“However, having a separate ministry of tourism may not be all that is needed. There is also the need to appoint persons who are passionate about the sector, that would bring the needed change to the sector.
“I am saying this because previously, we had Ministers of Culture and Tourism that were more of politicians than technocrats with no idea on how to move the sector forward.
“So the only way forward is to have a standalone Ministry of Tourism and Culture with a minister that knows his or her onion, the Presidential Committee on Tourism should also be proactive.
“Also, head of tourism parastatals should be people with remarkable pedigree in the field of tourism and hospitality,’’ Akingbogun said.
Similarly, Mr Bernard Bankole, President of National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) said having a separate ministry for tourism would enhance speedy development of the sector.
He stressed that the standalone ministry would concentrate on how to build the different tourist sites in the country to create employment for Nigerians and generate revenue for the government.
“The merging of Information and culture and tourism ministry had taken the tourism backward. We cannot record any meaningful progress with such arrangement. In fact it had frustrated the growth of the sector.
“You can see that after the much celebrated World Tourism Summit in April, 2016 in Abuja, nothing has changed; we are still on the same spot.
“This is not good for the development of the sector. If it was just a tourism ministry, remarkable progress would have been made by now.
“If the government is serious with its economic diversification to generate more revenue, then having a separate ministry of culture and tourism is the only way because tourism can replace oil,’’ Bankole said.
Also, Ms Abigail Olagbaye, Chief Executive Officer of Desigo Tourism Development, a tourism promotion company said in spite of the need for a single ministry of tourism, there is need for youth invlovement.
She stressed that the youth formed larger section of the population and as such they should not be excluded in the scheme of affairs in the sector.
“The youth should be involve in all the processes of policy formation to implementation, this is because they are future leaders; they will acquired experiences, take over and do better.
“Nigeria is blessed with tourism potentials that have the capacity to replace oil; however, we will not get there until the necessary things are done.
“One of the necessary things is having a standalone ministry of culture and tourism. The second is to get experienced hands to man the ministry and her agencies. Youths’ involvement is also paramount.
“Unless and until, these things are done, we will just be paying lip services to the development of the sector,’’ Olagbaye said.
For Mr Aliyu Badaki, the President of Hospitality and Tourism Management Association of Nigeria (HATMAN), having a single ministry for the sector was not bad but added that there is need for laws to strengthen the sector.
Badaki said that the necessity of professionalism in the sector could not be overlooked, because according to him without professionalism, service delivery in the sector would be nothing to write home about.
“We can have ministry of tourism and experienced professionals to head the ministry and parastatal, but when the active players in the sector lack professionalism, then things will not go well.
“The need to established laws to entrench professionalism in the sector cannot be overemphasised,’’ Badaki stressed. (NAN)
CMY/EAL/EAL
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Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi