…Insists All grey areas must be addressed
… Applauds tourism Minister, PS push for PPP
…Says hospitality skill sector not properly reconstituted
…Accuses Institute’s DG of using
unorthodoxy tactics
The Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) has restated its position on the National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) Act 2022.
This is as its distanced itself from the induction ceremony of some people as members and fellows performed last week in Abuja by the management of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR).
FTAN while restating its position on the NIHOTOUR Act 2022, pointed out that grey areas outlined by the Federation have not been addressed and cleared by the management of the Institute.
The President of FTAN Dr Aliyu Badaki, while clarifying these recent developments, lauded its Member-Associations, other discerning and well-meaning stakeholders across the tourism value chain for standing with the Federation and heeding its calls to abstain from any registration exercise being conducted by NIHOTOUR in whatever disguise.
He also commended the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musawa, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ibrahim Abdulkarim Ozi, for showing understanding over the issues at stake by making several efforts at resolving them and insistence on Private-Public Partnership(PPP) as the sound path to achieving tangible results and developments of the sector.
This clarification, according to Badaki, became necessary, following the series of inquiries it has received from members, concerned interest groups and persons within the sector over last week’s induction ceremony by NIHOTOUR, which a section of the Nigerian media and stakeholders believed was based on the purported registration exercise of operators.
‘For the avoidance of doubt, let is be made known and clear that FTAN was not part of the induction ceremony of operators as members and fellows performed last week in Abuja by NIHOTOUR.
‘‘The position of the Federation on NIHOTOUR Act 2022, is very clear and with no ambiguity whatsoever. The law has appropriated a lot of responsibilities besides the mandatory functions of training and development of manpower for the tourism sector, on NIHOTOUR, thereby infringing on other areas and functions that is not within the purvey of NIHOTOUR as a training institute.
‘‘We have pointed out these greys areas that need to be deliberated on, with acceptable pathway agreed on among the stakeholders, Ministry and NIHOTOUR, including NTDA, before implementation of the Act,” Badaki noted.
He further disclosed that Musawa, based on the submission of FTAN, and the disruptions caused in the industry by the unorthodoxy tactics adopted by NIHOTOUR’s Director General, Dr Abisoye Fagade, on three different occasions directed Fagade, to put on hold the implementation of the Act, until a stakeholder forum is conveyed for the purpose of deliberating on the Act and fashioning out acceptable mode of implementation.
Badaki, however, expressed disappointment over the posturing of the NIHOTOUR DG in trying to circumvent due process and adherence to the Minister’s directive, by resorting to different clandestine means instead; including the purported induction and registration exercise that was conducted last week, to enforce an ACT that go against the development of the industry and its operators.
FTAN further condemned the recent unceremonious reconstitution of the Hospitality Sector Skill Council membership and its Board of Trustees by Fagade, noting that it was not properly constituted, with the right professionals and constituencies represented but rather by friends and cronies of the DG, who will further do his biddings of trying to undermine FTAN, cause disaffections and disruptions within the industry.
Badaki also clarified that FTAN is not a trade union but rather a professional body that represents the interests of professionals and businesses, including investors, across the travel, tourism and hospitality trade, in the country.
He commended the Federation Member-Associations for abstaining from the event, and standing solidly behind the Federation in its quest to ensure that the proper thing is done. He assured them of the commitment of the Executive Council and Board of Trustees, in pursuing through legal and legitimate means, the position of the Federation on the matter.
About The Author
