Award winners and inducted fellows at the recently-concluded NTT Summit and Expo in Abuja
Hong, LAMATA, FRSC, others honoured as 7th NTTS closes in Abuja
[By VICTOR NZE]
Corporate organisations, public sector agencies, as well as, deserving individuals with resounding contributions towards development of the transportation and tourism sectors bagged various awards as the 7th edition of the National Tourism and Transportation Summit (NTTS) and Expo closed, Wednesday, December 4 in Abuja.
This is also as three prominent personalities in the Nigerian Tourism industry, Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong, Mr. Folorunsho Coker, and Mr Nkereuwem Onung, were conferred with the Fellowship of the prestigious Institute for Tourism Professionals of Nigeria (ITPN), in addition to nearly a dozen of practitioners who were formally inducted as Members of the Institute, during the Award and Gala Nite Dinner marking the end of the Summit.
Conferring the trio with the highest Membership title of the Institute after due consideration of their roles in the development of the Nigerian tourism industry, President of ITPN, and Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Organising Committee (IMOC), NTT Summit 2024,
Chief Abiodun Odusanwo, urged them to do more in uplifting the industry.
Chief Odusanwo further emphasized that the ITPN will continue to uphold the sanctity of impactful leadership in the Nigerian tourism industry so as to serve the interest of the Nigerian economy.
The Awards/Gala Nite held at the Banquet Hall of the RMRADC House, Maitama, Abuja and had in attendance industry practitioners and dignatitaries from major sectors of the economy.
Letters to the Awardees read in part; ‘Your nomination and final selection was carefully considered by the Selection Committee of the NTT Summit, upon which you have been chosen for your contributions to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy’
Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong, a recepient of the award is a distinguished medical professional, accomplished former Minister of State of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. He is also a Second Deputy President of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) where he is fostering business of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Mr. Nkereuwem Onung, another reputable recepient of the award, is the National President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), who has been instrumental in promoting tourism development in the country.
Another awardee is Mr. Folorunsho Coker, Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) who has initiated several tourism development strategies and projects geared towards repositioning the country’s tourism image globally.
The award plaques were presented to winners drawn from various categories, including media, aviation, hospitality and the public sectors.
Meanwhile, members of the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET) topped awardees in the media category, as Tourism Editors of Tribune and New Telegraph newspapers, Wale Olapade and Andrew Okungbowa, respectively bagged awards, as well as, publisher of Africa Travel Gerald, Okorie Uguru and Founder, Creative Naija, Frank Meke, who won the Leadership Award for Pioneer Tourism Journalism.
Other awardees in the same category were; Mr. Lucky Onoriode George – Outstanding Travel and Tourism Advocacy Award; Mr Wale Ojo-Lanre, Esq, – Long Service Award in Nigeria Tourism Development and Promotion, and Wole Shadare of the Guardian newspapers.
In the corporate banking sector, Sterling Bank Nigeria scooped the Excellence Award for Outstanding Banking Partner for Tourism and Transportation of the Year, while in the Aviation/Travel category, Green Africa Airways Limited claimed the Most Affordable and Outstanding Airline of the Year; Ethiopian Airline – Outstanding On-Boarding Experience Achievements; while The Manager, Aero Contractors bagged the Excellence Airline Operation in Nigeria Airspace.
In the public service category, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) clinched the Best Organized City Urban Mass Transit in Nigeria award, while the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) also bagged an NTT honours on the night.
The Award was created about seven years as the crowning and rounding off event of the National Tourism and Transportation (NTT) Summit and Expo to honour achievements of organizations and individuals who have displayed exemplary feat in growing and promoting the sector.
Earlier, Wednesday, six papers were presented and the accompanying panel discussions featuring industry and industry-related experts continued from Tuesday’s proceeding along with the exhibitions which held at the Velodrome, Abuja National Stadium, Abuja.
The FRSC Assistant Corps Marshall (ACM), Mr Emmanuel Dung presented a paper titled; ‘The Relevance of Directional Signs (Informative) Signs in Tourism Transportation,’ with panel discussants also making contributions to the subject.
Mr Dung while decrying the level vandalism of road signs erected to assist tourists visiting the country, in addition to the indifference shown towards the infrastructure by Nigerians, however, urged the populace to take up the responsibility of protecting these facilities, even as he called for uniformity of road signage in Nigeria with those found elsewhere in the world.
Mrs Maimuna Usman Borno, the Assistant General Manager, Nigerian Meteorogical Agency (NiMet) used her paper presentation to highlight ‘The Impact of Climate/Weather Forecasting on Tourism in the Sectoral Planning of Nigeria,’ while in another forum, the Special Assistant, Operations at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mr Haske Jubrin, in a paper titled; ‘Securing Nigeria’s Airspace: A Key Player in the Nation’s Aviation,’ cleared the air on claims of undercoverage of the country’s airspace by his agency.
The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) then took the stage to present a paper titled; ‘Customs’ Roles in Facilitating the Effective Implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement,’ through its representative, Mr Zahraddeen Salihu Mamman (CSC) just as Mr Philip Maga, Director and Special Duties at the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), spoke on ‘Personnel Training for Enhanced Performance and Service Delivery in Tourism, Transportation and Allied Services.
While Engr Bashir Datti Amin, Executive Director, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) in his paper titled; ‘Actualisatiom of Nigeria’s Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF): Panacea for Uoskikling Operations of Tourism and Longetivity Sector,’ enlightened summit participants on the NSQF evolved by his Board, which recognises, certifies and grades individuals based on their hands-on skills in place of paper or academic qualifications.
Concluding, the Deputy Director, PRS at the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FC&CPC), Mrs Mercy Ogwu, enlightened the participants on the agency’s role in the campaign for improved service delivery for consumers in the country, in her paper titled; ‘X-raying the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission’s Regulatory Framework in Nigeria Tourism, Transportation Sector.’
A formal communique on presentations made at the 7th edition of the event is expected to be released by the IMOC of the NTT Summit and Expo soon, in line with the organiserq’s tradition.
The NTT Summit and Expo is promoted by the ITPN.
