Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has queried the removal of Segun Runsewe as director-general of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) in 2013.
Obasanjo, who as president appointed Runsewe to turn around the country’s tourism sector, said Nigeria is not serious with tourism development and cannot be trusted to make serious impact on the local and international scene as a destination.
Obasanjo’s administration was noted for creating a standalone ministry of tourism, empowering the Abuja carnival, developing tourism master plan and creating a presidential council on tourism.
“So what has happened to Nigeria’s tourism since 2013 when they removed him (Runsewe)? Has anything worthwhile changed? Is it not worse for us now?” Obasanjo asked in an exclusive interview with NANTA TV as part of the engagement with the executive members of National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (Nanta) who paid him a visit.
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Obasanjo explained that Nigeria’s failings in tourism owe to a lack of continuity in policies and also not putting the right people at the right place.
He asked Nanta to occupy the Nigerian tourism space and “strive to bring players in tourism, travel, hospitality, aviation and entertainment to one table to fashion out a frame work that will provide win-win benefits to all concerned”.
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