NTDC: New year, new troubles

At time like this, nations and peoples are wont to take a second look at their expectations and performances and make changes where necessary. It is a period of stock taking and sober reflection, a time of making amends and asking for heavenly directions and forgiveness where mistakes were made or noticed.

In Nigerian tourism industry, particularly at the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), nothing of such has happened or is happening. Honestly, I know the tourism house so much that I rarely join in any jubilation when so called changes takes place or a new wine dressed in an old wine skin is put on show case. The moment President Mohammed Buhari downgraded the Ministry of Tourism to a mere department; I knew that troubles of unimaginable portions looms.

Indeed, the relegation of the tourism status in government economic direction brought to me a lot of nightmare and am yet to recover. To worsen our case, the appointment of a Lai Mohammed with a penchant to “set” new tourism records from the ashes of disputed records or achievement set by his predecessors in PDP added to our sorrow and woes. Lai Mohammed, now over a year in office as Minister of Information, National Orientation, Culture and “Tourism” brought us nothing to cheer in tourism. Mohammed is only clever by half, fine-tuning “leftover” tourism projects and presenting same as new tourism flags. At Mohammed’s tourism summit in July last year, it was indeed glaring that he has no midas touch to drive a new tourism economy in Nigeria. The man who was once famous as APC mouth piece seem to have lost his voice in the making of local and international tourism initiatives.

Instead of embracing his vision, the wisened private sector players recoiled and excused themselves from Lai Mohammed’s web of tourism lies. The man from Ilorin, the great home of the Afonja warriors, rushed to Spain to bring United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) egg heads to help “dress up” the abused, neglected and outdated Nigerian Tourism master plan and to show his ignorance, peopled the committee with “new pharaohs” that cannot interprete the tourism document and its dreams. From a failed promise to rejig the Obasanjo Presidential Council on Tourism and enthroning a  refreshing bankable tourism economy, Lai Mohammed simply moved around in circles like the children of Israel on Mount Pisgah.

Towards the end of 2016, Babacair David Lawal, the Secretary to the Federal government (SGF) boldly handed us a xtmas gift in the removal of Sally Mbanefo as NTDC “destroyer”. The oppressed industry players, journalists and NTDC workers erupted into jubilation. Till date, no one has ever bothered to find out how Mbanefo, the tourism feet of Achen got into this highly critical engine room of our economy and national development. In my report last year on her belated removal, I stated that there was nothing to rejoice over an ingrate who came to plunder and destroy a nation and people famed for their hospitality and love for nature and mankind. Are we cursed or more rightly, was NTDC cursed? Maybe, since our country is never known to appreciate those God sent to minister fresh ideas and directions to us, a look around us today, simply shows thieves pursuing thieves and armed robbers hounding robbers.

When Pius Ayiam and Edem Duke connived together to remove Otunba Segun Runsewe in May 2013, am sure that nobody reckoned that God will visit Nigeria with the locust in Sally Mbanefo. The tribulation brought upon tourism by this destructive rag-tag team will continue to hound Nigeria tourism until we repent and ask God to lift the suspension of tourism goodwill upon our nation. Honestly, I pray that Otunba Segun Runsewe will find it in his heart to forgive the many lies told against his many un-comparable tourism achievements and milestones yet unequaled till date in Nigeria.

There is no doubt that a curse floats and hangs over NTDC nay tourism due to Runsewe’s shameful ouster from office by PDP. In other climes, it never happens that the best hands are over removed or forced through rough roads for the sake of nitwits and brainless brats. As we March into the New Year, the curse on NTDC is back to tear the place apart. Whisperings of certificate scandal and financial misapplications and under hand deals are becoming louder and louder by the day. Who is involved and what is happening in the tourism house? Find out as you go with me into the prophetic journey for NTDC and tourism 2017.

BONIFACE EBOKA, THE ONE-WEEK ACTING NTDC DG

A catholic knight and unarguably the oldest staff, some people say Eboka is over 60 years old, he however was allowed to sit in office as acting DG of NTDC for less than two weeks. The sudden reversal of his status as oldest staff (civil servant) in NTDC was very strange and again shows that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism do not have verifiable records of staff working at various departments in key sectors of the Ministry and its numerous agencies. The case of Boniface Eboka was very embarrassing to this government, a clear case of a cursed organisation where simple records can be manipulated with ease.

NTDC WORKERS’ RESTIVENESS

Even though the workers largely shot themselves on the foot through hasty hailing and acceptance of new faces of leadership in NTDC, a case in point, the removed Sally Mbanefo, the workers however are not shy to fight oppression and poor workers welfare by its leaders particularly political appointees. From 2013 era of Sally Mbanefo till now, the NTDC workers have remained united to correct the negative tendencies of any appointee including any of their own who may be appointed based on seniority. Another battle is in the offing against Mrs Rae – Omoh who surprisingly was asked by Lai Mohammad to take over from Boniface Eboka as acting DG. While Mohammad believes Rae Omoh is the oldest staff, the workers who should know better are kicking against it, sparking confusion again in NTDC.

RAE OMOH – SHOW YOUR CERTIFICATE(S)

The new appointee of Lai Mohammad as acting DG NTDC is alleged to come to office with lots of excess luggage. The Edo – State born Civil Servant is alleged to have ‘begged’ her way to the top as most senior staff with alleged questionable certificates. All her academic qualifications in mass communication, Public Administration and “Master” in hospitality from a university in Italy smells of a Ponza deal, according to her traducers. It is sad that the findings of the Director of Human Resources in the Ministry of Culture who investigated Rae Omoh certificates could not be made public so as to save NTDC another controversy in 2017. Indeed, Media reports so far on Rae Omoh’s academic profile are so vague and worrisome and one wonders if her “Seniority” in NTDC too was “doctored”. The ball is in the court of Rae Omoh and Lai Mohammad to show us course why this brewing scandal should not be investigated. We can invite DSS and Interpol to solve the riddle before we disgrace Nigeria again.

NTDC – WHY THE PURSE LEAKS?

The seeming financial rot in NTDC since 2013 was alleged to be oiled by its new directors of finance, Mr. Charles Ovia and his deputy, one Okafor who by civil service rule, cannot do what they are presently hired to do in the tourism agency. Mr. Ovia, a former staff of an eatery with head off in Lagos and Okafor, a retrenched staff of a bank, both are signatories to NTDC accounts despite not being confirmed as top grade administrators. This situation has led to NTDC finances being fettered away without due process and as alleged by insiders, the duo with questionable entry process into the service should be made to account for their acts of commission or omission in NTDC since Sally Mbanefo era till date if found guilty.

A PANEL TO ‘PANEL-BEAT’ NTDC BUS PURCHASE

An inter-departmental panel of inquiry has been set up to fish out facts behind the purchases of a coaster bus worth about 28 Million Naira and the pilot pick up van purchased at 18 Million Naira just less than one week of Boniface Eboka stop-gap administration in NTDC. The gist is that the vehicles were alleged to be second – hand (Nigeria used) and passed on, doctored and presented to NTDC as new vehicles. The term of reference accordingly to a memo to the transport, accounts and procurement heads of departments in NTDC, the panel is to unveil the name(s) of the company where these vehicles were purchased, and also unearth if due process was followed in the purchase of the alleged second hand vehicles passed off as new ones. Interesting new times in NTDC, more troubles are in the offering. NEXT WEEK: who is mariel Rae Omoh? Welcome to 2017.