*Calls on Tourism Minister, FTAN, to investigate Kangiwa’s action

The Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET), has dissociated itself from the purported training of some travel journalists  by the National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) in Lagos recently.

This is as it also carpeted the Director General of NIHOTOUR, Alhaji Nura Sani Kangiwa, for engaging in an act meant to mislead the Tourism Minister, tourism operators, Nigerian public, and discredit ANJET.

It noted that one Mr. John Omololu, who is said to the President of the purported travel journalists group, is not a member of ANJET, as he was expelled from the Association over two years ago for embezzling the association’s funds during his tenure as President.

In a letter, titled; Disclaimer on NIHOTOUR Training Programme for Tourism Journalists, written to the Minister of Tourism, Mrs Lola Ade-John, and signed by its President, Victor Nze, to register it position on the development, the Association noted that ANJET is the only and formally recognised body for travel journalists in the country by both the private and public sector operators. Adding that it is a registered Association under the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), which is the umbrella body for private sector tourism operators in the country.

On the purported training of travel journalists by NIHOTOUR, ANJET noted; ‘‘we hereby distance ourselves from the recently concluded training programme for tourism and travel journalists organised by the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), an agency in the Federal Ministry of Tourism.

‘‘We are compelled to bring this to your knowledge following the misrepresentation that has characterised news reports emanating from the concluded programme claiming that our members formed part of the participants at the event held in the Shangisha area of Lagos, from June 10 – 14, this year by NIHOTOUR.

‘‘It behooves on the Association to set the record straight by making this clarification and also to call on the Kangiwa-led management team of NIHOTOUR to come clean on the matter, by disclosing to Nigerians and the operators the names and media houses of the purported travel journalists, and show the body of works that they have done within this year that qualified them as travel writers and photo journalists covering the sector.’’

ANJET further stated; ‘‘Honorable Minister, we are worried by this trend embraced by NIHOTOUR of assembling persons without credibility and reputation to create the impression of training industry journalists.

‘‘It is to be noted that the questionable persons who were paraded and presented with certificates at the training by NIHOTOUR are not credible industry journalists. We refused to be associated with this sham of an event.

‘‘We wish to also put on record that John Omololu, who was reported to be the President of the group, is neither a member of ANJET nor its President. He was expelled from ANJET over two years ago  after being found guilty of embezzling the Association’s funds, amounting to over N1, 060,000 under his watch as the president.’’

The Association condemned the action of Kangiwa for colluding with such a character to organise training for purported travel journalists, whose identities and characters are questionable. It therefore, called on the Tourism Minister, Lola Ade-John and the President of FTAN, Mr Nkwereuwem Onung, to investigate the matter.

Disclosing that such a development has the capacity of bringing to disrepute the tourism sector and impinge on the fidelity of FTAN, NIHOTOUR and the Tourism Ministry, especially the Tourism Minister, who has been closely associated with Kangiwa since her assumption of office this year.

This is as it noted, ‘‘Any gathering purporting to be for industry journalists but excludes our members has to be interrogated for authenticity. We, therefore, request the Honorable Minister to call the Director General of NIHOTOUR, Nura Sani Kangiwa to order over his unbecoming action of embarrassing ANJET and its members.

‘‘We also request the Honorable Minister to probe circumstances surrounding that training programme for industry journalists organised by NIHOTOUR.’