The federal government should not undercut due process in replacing the Director-general of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), the Guild of Tourism Journalists (GTJ) and the Nigeria Association of Tour operators (NATOP) have cautioned.
In separate press statements, both frontline associations in the Nigerian tourism sector describe as illegal, attempt by the federal government (FG), to replace Segun Runsewe, the NTDC boss, when his tenure of office is yet to run out.
The FG had Thursday appointed a new set of person to the headship of select parastatals including the NTDC.
“We sincerely demand a detailed explanation to this derailment or abortion to a sustainable Tourism in Nigeria. What is the next step to an industry that needs long term investors? ” Femi Oluwasina, deputy vice president of NATOP said.
The GTJ described the purported replacement of the NTDC boss on the pretext that his tenure has run out as conspiratorial.
“This is an attempt to destroy the steady progress being made by the DG in the tourism sector because he has one year and eight months more in the service,” Wale Ojo-lanre president of GTJ said.
The association points out that Segun Runsewe of NTDC, Prof Tunde Babawale of CEBAC , Munzali Dantata of NIHOUTOUR had their tenure renewed two years and four months ago.
“We are thus perplexed why he was singled out and roped with the excuse that his tenure expired.”
The association points out that of the over 110 parastatals under the Ministry of Tourism and National Orientation, the NTDC is the most visible and functional in every ramification.
According to Ojo-Lanre, who is participating in the Arabian travel Market(ATM) in Dubai, the purported announcement of Runsewe’s replacement has caused international embarrassment to Nigeria at the ATM, where the DG had made an in – road into the Dubai Tourism Development Corporation, with a promise to assisting Nigeria in its desire to shore up its tourism potentialities .
“Whoever made that announcement had done a grave injury to the image of Nigeria at the 20th Arabian Travel Market where the NTDC Boss had facilitated multi – billion naira investment network for Nigeria. This is shocking and does not portray us well.
