NANTA takes forex battle to national assembly, presidency and media

Bankole Bernard, President National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (Nanta) could be likened to a man whose life depends on forex. He has declared an emergency in the Aviation and Tourism sectors in Nigeria and like a one man riot squad, takes the battle to anyone who could appreciate the looming danger in the locomotive engine of Nigeria economy.

Those who doubt Bankole’s fear and anxiety that Nigerian Service Sector to which Travel and Tourism drives the new call should listen to Babatunde fowler, boss of Federal Tax Authority who reported about 500 Billion Naira gain from the sector. Indeed, that record could be threatened if the government do not take Bankole’s advice serious as regards CBN economic policies inconsistence and somersault on foreign exchange, particularly as it concerns air travels and tourism.

Determined not to quit or easily give up, the travel agents boss who is already lamenting the increase loss of jobs in the Sector since the Forex drew back began, visited the office of the Deputy Speaker, House of Representative, Honourable Yusuf Lasun, to the Presidency where he met the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adeshina and the media.

LEGISLATION BEDROCK OF DEVELOPMENT

Hon. Yusuf Lasun, was all ears as wont with ministers of God when Bankole led a five man entourage to woo the NASS to initiate relevant laws to protect investors and investments in travel and tourism. After his apostolic presentation on the dangers facing Nigeria an account of poor policy issues on travels and tourism, a rather sympathetic and caring Lasun told Nanta delegation to come up with documented ills affecting the sector to enable the House carry out investigative hearing.

Deputy speaker assured Bankole and his Nanta team made up of Kabir Maiwata, Zackary Abdullahi, Sylvester Osaro Olobor, Abdulmalik Hassan and Rabo Saleh that Nass will not fail to help Nanata right the wrongs through legislative empowerment. 

LASUN THUMBS UP BANKOLE’S GUTS 

A man never knows what lies ahead until he takes a step so when Bankole visited the Deputy Speaker, he was expecting to hear the usual political “Correctness” associated with such visits but was taken aback when Lasun spoke from heart, sharing his recent experience when he was downgraded from a first class seat to a business class “Without” apologies due to the consequence of the forex issue ravaging the airline industry. Indeed, Lasun was full of appreciation to Bankole for educating him and also the Nass at large on what may befall Nigerian aviation sector if necessary legal instruments are not marshaled out to its strategic growth.

NANTA ACT REVISITED

The absence of an enduring law to check entry and exist regime in the travel trade business was a major card placed on the table at the Nanta meet with the deputy speaker. Though last discussed as the industry mainstay in 2005 under Soji Amusan as then Nanta President, Bankole reopened the book and wants the sector to be accorded its rightful place in Nigeria economic regime as professional contributors and experts without which Nanta’s importance cannot be captured. Expressively significant about the need for Nanta , is Bankole’s agenda to check the rise and rise of fly-by-night and portfolio operators who have given travel trade business a bad name over the years. 

KEEP YOUR GUN POWDER DRY, LASUN

“Dont bring me any foreign example but home grown solutions” Deputy speaker, Yusuf Lasun advised Nanta president and his team, as they made to leave Lasun’s expansive office. Strategically, Lasun told Nanta to set example for other Nigerians and groups who rather than visit the Nass to share their views, pains and challenges but chose to run down their representatives.

He told Bankole to fight on for Nigeria’s tomorrow in aviation and tourism, assuring that any well articulated position and expectation will receive “effective” attention under the leadership of the House of Representatives. 

ADESHINA – THE PRESIDENCY WILL WORK WITH NANTA

Femi Adeshina, the President’s man Friday was all ears when Bankole took the centre stage at the villa.

It was a busy day for the President’s man but he showed the stuff that made him a leader of men as former Guild of Editors President and Managing Director of soar- away SUN NEWSPAPERs, as he navigated the discuss on forex and the travel sector with ease.

Indeed, Bankole, Nanta President appreciated the SA’s deep understanding of the sector and urged him to whisper into the ears of his principle, President Buhari that Nigeria could do things better if professionals without political affiliations such as Nanta could be consulted on critical areas such as under discuss.

Benkole was however quick to add that President’s Buhari’s anti corruption stand has restored Nigeria’s image as a place to do business and called for a visible, identifiable and sustainable policy position by the President on aviation and tourism.

NANTA AND ADESHINA’S TEN POINT CHALLENGE

It was a take away challenge to which Nanta President promised to accomplish in a record time. Impressed with the depth of Bankole Bernard on both local and international situation as it affects travel trade and tourism, Femi Adeshina called and requested for a ten point constraints and solutions to can help the government lay hands on the cancer bedeviling this critical sector of the economy.

NANTA TO PARTNER NPS TO SHOW CASE FLORA AND FAUNA RESOURCES

Desirous of opening up other critical areas of investment to travel agents, Nanta President also paid a visit to the head office of National Parks Service, custodians of seven protected areas in Nigeria.

Received by the acting conservator General (CG) Mr. Abudlahi Tunde Hussain and his top management team, Mr. Bankole called for an MOU between Nanta and NPS to help drive the initiative to attract and promote tourism in National Parks. Bankole told NPS leaders that time has come for travel agents to look outside ticket sales and drive tourism in Nigeria through creative approach to destination marketing to which Nigeria’s flora and fauna resources remains largely unexposed to local and international visitors as evident in south and east Africa.

NANTA – MEDIA AS VERITABLE PARTNERS

If there’s anything Bankole wish to be remembered for it is the determination to win the Nigeria media to his side. So far, his media advocacy “support” visits are paying off as the TheCable online, packaged by Simon Kolawole, ex-Thisday editor, had promised a relentless focus and support for Nanta on the quest to transform travel and tourism. Theophilus Abbah, managing editor, of Daily Trust Newspapers did same for Nanta when Bankole and his team called last week in at their Abuja head office. Nigeria’s voice of the nation, the Sun Newspapers, led by its managing director, Eric Osagie and top editors such as Steve Nwosu, Bolaji Tunji, Onuoha Uke, Bruce Malogo, Abdul fatah Oladeinde and Neta Nwosu, general manager, marketing were on hand to welcome the Nanta “Challenge” team. The Sun assured Nanta of its support on the progressive drive to improve the Nigerian economic space.

IS BANKOLE ON TRACK?

A man and his dream is not measured in words but in deeds so far Bankole has done what others before him has not done but how far he can go is left for posterity to judge.   The bridge is still far.