The Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, has called for stay of action in the enforcement of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, NIHOTOUR Act.

The Minister Musawa who made the order during a courtesy visit by the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria, FTAN new exco led by its President, Dr. Aliyu Badaki to her office and his request to her to intervene in the matter, stated that the order does not mean that there won’t be reforms, but to give time for adjustments on areas of overlap and conflicts.

She promised to talk with the relevant agencies to ensure that there is no moreover harassment in the enforcement process while the grey areas are sorted out.

Musawa said the area of conflict in the Act can be resolved by going back to the National Assembly.

She disclosed that very exciting initiatives wil soon be coming on board for the Tourism industry.

She stated that FTAN will be peased with these tourism
initiatives that are coming for the industry .

The Minister congratulated the FTAN President and his team on their victory at the election.

She promised to carry the private sector body along by working directly with them in promoting tourism in the country.

On the request of FTAN President on the resuscitation of the Presidential Council on Tourism, PCT, the Minister explained that it is broad based and has partners in different sectors.

She said the Ministry is working to lessen the PCT because it has a wide coverage and also in co-opting other needed parties and MDA’s to make it work faster.

Musawa noted that the Ministry is working to give the country’s President ownership of PCT to make it work easier.

She promised the participation of the Ministry in FTAN tourism conference coming up in November in Abuja.

The Minister decried the problem of poor funding which the Ministry is grappling with.

Speaking earlier, the President of FTAN, Dr Badaki called for a closer and robust working relationship between the Ministry and the Federation.

Dr. Badaki raised the issue of NIHOTOUR Act and the harassment of their members in the process of enforcement of the Act and the need for the resuscitation of the PCT.

He solicited for funding support from the.Ministry to make FTAN more strong and more vibrant.

He called for Nigeria’s participation in international exhibitions like the World Travel Market, WTM London, ITB Berlin, FITUR in Spain and the Arabian Travel Market, ATM in Dubai.

Speaking also, Chairman FTAN Board of Trustees, Alhaji Munzali Dantata pledged his support and counsel to the Ministry if needed to move the tourism industry forward.

He also reiterated the call for the resuscitation of the PCT which worked well during Obasanjo’s regime.
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Also, FTAN First Deputy President, Susan Akporaye urged the ministry to carry the Federation along in participation at international expos to help in marketing the country’s tourism potential.

She informed the Minister that the private sector has been holding forth for the country after her long absence at international expos and handed over the flag of participation to the Ministry through the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority, NTDA.

Akporaye appealed to the Minister to also carry the body along in its intervention programmes and SME’s.