When Senate canvassed more funding for tourism

Posted by admin Legislature, Senate Monday, December 10th, 2012

THE Nigerian tourism sector has been acknowledged by many, both the stakeholders and several others, as a veritable source of income for the country. This became more pronounced in the face of the dwindling fortune of the country in the oil sector, even as emphasis is now being placed on the need to turn attention from the black gold which has become a sort of a curse for the country. Until recently, the economic potentials of the tourism sector had remained in the dark as little or no attention was paid to the development of the sector.

However, the man at the helms of affairs at the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Chief Olusegun Runsewe, has taken it upon himself to turn around the sector and open the eyes of Nigerians to the goldmine inherent in investing in its development. Within and beyond the confines of the country, the man has been busy preaching the gospel of the benefits of the tourism industry, winning more and more faithful in the course of the struggle.

It is becoming apparent that Runsewe is winning the battle as he found new converts from the least expected quarters last week, the Senate.

The Director-General of the NTDC had, last Wednesday, appeared before the Senate Committee on Culture, Tourism and National Orientation to defend the 2012 budgetary spending of his agency, as well as defend its N600 million appropriation for the 2013 fiscal year.

The Director-General, at the end of the session with the lawmakers, was not only able to convince the three-member committee of the 2012 spending, but was also able to draw its sympathy and the need to improve on the paltry sum being made available yearly to the tourism sector, which had been described as the next port of call after the oil and gas sector. The committee chairman, Senator

Ahmed Barata and the other two members, Senators Femi Ojudu and Jajare, were in unison as they affirmed that the yearly meagre budgetary allocation to the tourism sector may not allow it to realise its full potential and contribute meaningfully to the national growth and development.

Before passing their verdict, the NTDC numero uno had rendered his stewardship in the past 11 months or thereabout, justifying how he spent the 2012 budgetary allocation of his agency and how far he had gone in repositioning it as a veritable source of employment for Nigerians. According to him, the agency, under his supervision had been able to make a documentation of everything a first-time visitor needed to know about Nigeria. To make the country attractive to would-be-investors, he said there is the need to create more awareness about its tourism potentials.

Runsewe said his agency had succeeded in training airport taxi drivers on the ethics and manner involved in promoting the country and uplifting its values before foreign visitors. The need for this, according to him, was predicated on the fact that it was always the first impression that lasts longer.

As part of the activities of the agency, it is supporting over 150 festivals across the country, festival being pivotal to strengthening ties and promoting greater unity among the various communities.

“Tourism is about opening up the people; it is only not about seminars. People should be able to have a feel of tourism”, he said. In recognition of his contribution to the development of tourism, he told the Senate committee that he became the first Nigerian to be elected and appointed as a member of the International Tourism Board.

Runsewe concluded by saying that tourism, if well harnessed, would play a crucial role in national development. He, therefore, said that the N600 million, if approved for the agency, would be used to consolidate on the level of achievements attained so far and further project the image of the country before the comity of nations.

Impressed by the depth of knowledge the Director-General displayed and his grasp of what needed to be done, as well as how far he had gone with the effort at repositioning the tourism sector, the lawmakers were quite appalled that N600 million was too meagre to take the sector to the expected height.

Senator Jajare in particular could not hide his feelings as he expressed dismay at the budget proposal, which he said was too paltry for the promotion of tourism. He then wondered if there were any means of income available to the agency.

Describing tourism as a potential big revenue earner after the oil and gas sector, the Senate Committee chairman, Senator Barata, urged the NTDC boss to create more awareness about the activities of the agency. According to him, there was the need for a synergy between the agency and the Senate committee as a way of finding more funds for its activities.

“There is the need to create more awareness. There is the need to let Nigerians know that, in the absence of oil, the next port of call is tourism. Tourism is not all about small resources. You need to be delegating responsibilities to stakeholders in the sector for a better appreciation of the country and its potentials”, Senator Barata said.

Senator Ojudu, who could not hide his admiration for Runsewe while the budget defense lasted, described him as a good networker. Convinced about the level of work being done by the agency, Ojudu expressed shock that while much is being done, there was less publicity. The Ekiti State-born senator said he was in the dark about the level of revolution going on in the tourism sector. Harping on the need for partnership between NTDC and the Senate in the quest to realise the full potentials of the agency, the senator said, “There is paucity of information. Publicity on the activities of the agency should not be at the personal level.” He also called on Runsewe to partner with other relevant agencies in the bid to raise the standard of most of the operators of the hotel and hospitality sector in the country.

The Director-General said that much is being done to further enhance the promotion of tourism and create more awareness about its economic benefits. For example, he said the Joint Tourism Board Committee (JTBC) was established as a forum for interaction among the operators and other stakeholders in the tourism sector.

Via Tribune

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