NIHOTOUR tourism bill and its toxic contents

Chika Balogun, Nigeria’s Chief tourism trade trainer is about to enter the tourism history books as the first initiator and promoter of the first democratic tourism legislation in Nigeria.

Her agency bill titled “National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Bill 2016”, will however go through its first public hearing at the national assembly this week and the furor generated by the content and intention of the bill proposes a verdict of total and absolute rejection.

Tourism industry stakeholders faults the proposed bill on its overbearing and ambitious intentions to appropriate powers to NIHOTOUR to regulate the entire gamut of tourism sector activities and players and lubricate powers for the Minister of Tourism and Culture to infuse cronies into the proposed governing council of the training school without let.

In sum, the NIHOTOUR bill is legged on clever mixture and infusion of democratic and autocratic powers which runs counter and militate against a progressive tourism legal template for the sector. The position of majority of concerned industry private sector players and other tourism agencies heads lies with the toxic content of the bill which intends to plant powers for NIHOTOURS above and over its original founding mission and intention.

Though Chika Balogun stands commended for the bold initiative, the proposed bill leap frogging to assume powers to regulate, discipline players and operators, empower the Minister to appoint members of the governing council of the school, as captured on parts III, VI, VII, VIII, are fraught with vexatious interpretations and consequences.

My findings revealed that Chika Balogun probably was given false hope and backing to push NIHOTOUR bill beyond its modest gesture of training craft middle level manpower for sector by top wigs of Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) who intends to push her off the radar of leadership of the school and thereafter make a case using the skewed and flawed powers inherent in the proposed bill to take over the running of school.

Sadly, those who pushed for the making of the bill behind the scene and encouraged Chika Balogun have all abandoned her and the bill, having failed to mobilize political and private sector players behind it, a dead end scenario that begs the intention in the first place.

Poor Chika Balogun, the reformist at NIHOTOUR told me that she is disturbed at the daggers drawn against her bill and wonders at the “validity of certain relationships”, possibly referring to those who pushed her to take the gambit in order to make her the enemy of the industry, instead of a reliable pillar of support.

Indeed, the anger in the Nigeria tourism world against the NIHOTOUR initiative is grave and combative. National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) President, Bankole Bernard told me that the bill cannot fly and should be returned back to sender. Though Nanta President admits that Chika Balogun possibly meant well, his candid position is for NIHOTOUR to revert to its directorate position at Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) where originally it was set up to help train new entrants and staff of the Corporation.

Bankole added that the regulatory intention of NIHOTOUR is satanic and was not well thought through and therefore be thrown to the dust bin. To Victor Kayode, Executive Secretary of Nigeria Hotel and Catering Institute (NHCI) the proposed bill is “omnibus and obnoxious”, slamming the sponsors as lacking deep understanding of the operations of the hospitality and tourism industry in Nigeria.

“The lack of a regulatory frameworks for now in Nigeria does not mean that NHCI will support a bill that is conceptually bereft and unreasonable, Victor Kayode angrily noted, adding that its rather cumber some for a training school of a craft level to attempt to regulate curriculum and training in higher institutions offering hospitality and tourism courses to the extent of approving such. “Can a school of nursing accredit the programmes of a medical college? Kayode fumed.

Nkerewenum Onung, President of National Association of Nigeria Tour Operators (NATOP) would not be bothered about the juvenile NIHOTOUR bill and would not support its absurdity. Onung wonders why Nigeria tourism leaders will always mess up every opportunity to address the needs of the sector.

President, Travel journalists in Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Okungbowa said the passage of the proposed bill will portend grave danger for the sector and called for its total withdrawal. Okungbowa promised to mobilize the media to confront the sponsors of the bill and make naked their hidden intention to ride on back of the proposed bill to achieve their selfish ambition.

“Anjet will resist and reject this proposed bill and will advise the national assembly, particularly the senate to drop the bill”. From all indications, Chika Balogun has also lost the support base of her fellow agencies heads, a clear indication that the proposed bill has failed the integrity test and therefore an effort rejected by its supposed beneficiaries.

ROSES FOR AYOTUNDE ADESUGBA

I will personally miss the very encouraging leadership style of Mrs. Ayotunde Adesugba, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism who retired from service last month. Indeed, Mrs. Adesugba brought a measure maturity to her assignment and also created an atmosphere conducive for the Ministry to thrive. Mrs. Adesugba apart from her angelic beauty and gentle disposition took her assignment at the ministry as an evangelical mission, building new blocks for the sector and making amends where there were noticeable wrongs.

Though I had seen Mrs. Adesugba at work from “official” distance in course of visits to the ministry, she however made it a point of duty to call me and send text messages to encourage my interest and write ups on the activities of the ministry and tourism in general.

Even in retirement, Adesugba has never failed to read me and will send text messages to pray and support me. The industry will miss this woman of good heart and progressive disposition. Her calmness, kindness and pillar of immeasurable Support for tourism while she was in office were exemplary and touching. Tourism needs many of her likes and this is sending many roses to this unsung tourism Amazon.