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Thursday 5 September 2013

NTDC BOSS, SALLY MBANEFO SEEK MEDIA, STAKEHOLDER’S SUPPORT ON DEV. OF DOMESTIC TOURISM

By Remi Oladoye


 NTDC  D.G Mrs Sally Mbanefo
 Passion drives success, successful people in life are not the most clever , but those who are passionate  about their callings and that is why such people recorded success sooner than their clever counterpart whose vision and mission is unclear.

 Mrs Sally Mbanefo  the new Director  General of  The Nigeria Tourism Development Commission NTDC,  though found herself in an  unknown world  of tourism sometimes  ago when she was appointed  but the highly cerebral  and beautiful woman  has shown the world that she  has chosen to make success of her term with  a unique approach to tourism development in Nigeria .

  It is  glaring that domestic tourism is not at its best in  Nigeria when compared  to  other countries who are equally blesses with the wonders of nature, and charity they say begins at home, that is why she  has decided to make , developing and promoting domestic tourism as her utmost priority, by this Nigerians  will not only  have a feelings and enjoy what they have through direct participation but also  use tourism sector  as  an economic booster  and a good source of  employment  generation.

DG. Mbanefo  in a tete- a tete with Ogbeni Tope Awe
   The ex banker with 26 years cognate  experience in the private sector  came  into the  system  less than hundred days ago with passion a and  clear vision that will change will make tourism  a culture that is planted in the minds of every Nigerians not only as a direct participant  but also a promoter of  tourism  in the land , with this if well implemented, she is definitely   going to leave NTDC with   good legacy and have  her record written as a lady who came saw and left behind  an indelible mark  in the history of tourism in the country.

 Mbanefo popularly known as  white bitch  while unfolding his action plan at a  media parley in Lagos acknowledge the  effort of her  predecessor  Otunba Olusegun Runsewe    in  changing the  face of  Nigeria tourism ,  and  promise to continue to build on where  he stopped  by encouraging all and sundry  in the country to see the need to promote  domestic  tourism “   Otunba  Runsewe has  no doubt taken tourism out of  the moribund status it was before  to a  good level and i am going to start from where he stopped, my mission is to demystifying  Nigeria tourism asset  and  make it open to the world and at the same time encourage  Nigerians rather than going for  vacation abroad to stay t home  to enjoy the  beautiful nature  Nigeria can offer  as well”

 She said  further that “ championing domestic tourism  is what i  really want to take seriously because i want the world to see that Nigeria has a good story to tell,  i think we all know that if we don’t promote our own nobody will do it  for us and that is why i m seeking for stakeholders  support in making this dream  realizable .

 Adding that “ i am not saying  that we won’t be participating in foreign tourism  but  my focus  is more on developing  and  promoting  domestic  tourism so as to  generate more revenue for the country and   create Job for  thousands of youths in line with  Mr. President  agenda”. In  order to achieve  this  goal,  Mbanefo disclosed that she has  formulated  three  strategy  which  includes;   Rebuilding the NTDC,  Growing the tourism value change in Nigeria and  reinventing Nigeria Tourism industry, the first one which i have started by training and retraining the  commission’s  staff  on the need to internalize  what they are promoting and  the two other strategies  involve  all  stakeholders in the industry,  Nigeria is about 160 million people and there is no way only NTDC  staffs can  do the job of  promoting tourism alone , we need everybody to be involve in this crusade so that we will all  enjoy the dividends when it began to yields

Mrs. Nbanefo  also disclose her plans  to tour all the major tourism site in each region of the  country, “ i  am not going to sit down in my office and formulate policies but i will make sure i tour all the major sites in  the  3 geo political region  starting with the North west, followed by south west and  South East, the trip which she hope will be concluded  before the end of the year.

   i am not stopping at that , i have receive invitations from some state tourism board and i have met some of the tourism commissioners in various state  too with  the  intention of encouraging them to develop the sites that are yet to be developed in their respective states  and promote it for increase revenue and employment  drive.

 Speaking on why  the  commission has began partnering  some  private organization in promotion of tourism  in the country, Mrs Mbanefo maintained that the essence is to get  value  for  Nigeria tourism  , adding that “  banks, hospitals  transport companies  and  others have signifies their interest in  offering qualitative services  at affordable rate to  both local and  foreign tourists.

 She  also promised to   visit Nigeria embassies in foreign  countries to  speak with  the ambassadors on the need to make visa procurement  fast and easy  for tourist who want to come and visit  sites in Nigeria.
  Knowing the important of the media, Mrs Mbanefo said she considered the media especially the tourism journalists  as a   stakeholders in  promoting the sector and urge them to  be a good partner  and passionately support  her vision of  promoting domestic tourism in Nigeria.” We cannot tell the story ourselves at NTDC,  i am going to operate an open door policy  and we  are soliciting for your support  in making this dream and vision realizable , ideas that will help  this vision to grow are also welcome"  she said

 Also in his remark, a doyen of tourism industry , Ogbeni Tope Awe also advocated for the need to look inward into promoting domestic tourism in the  country  and lauded her vision  for the sector “ i want to  appealed to you  all to please  support  her  in  the advocacy for  development and promotion of  domestic tourism in Nigeria “.  

 Meanwhile, the  Guild of  Tourism Journalists   has lauded the open door policy and vision of  the NTDC boss Mrs Sally Mbanefo of  a promoting domestic tourism in the country.

 The  Guild in a press statement  signed by its president  Comrade Wale Ojo Lanre said , “ The new NTDC  boss  is no doubt passionate about  taken tourism to  another level in Nigeria with  her plan which she unfolded at  the media parley.

They noted that “ acknowledging  her predecessor, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe is in order and her plan to start where he stopped  is an indication  that she is poised to take tourism to a greater height in Nigeria
 While assuring her of  the Guild unflinching support, the group also  urged her to beware of sycophants in   the industry who are not interested in her success but only in milking  the NTDC  for personal gain “.