Chief Tomi Akingbogun has been re-elected to pilot the affairs of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), the umbrella body for tourism associations in the country. He was re-elected during the annual general meeting (AGM) of the association held recently in Abuja.
Also elected with Akingbogun to serve for a period of two years were Alhaji Aminu Agoha, (President of National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies, NANTA) as Deputy President; Ayo Olumoko, 2nd Deputy President; Badaki Aliyu Ajayi, Vice President, FCT; Chief Odusanwo Abiodun, Vice President, South West; Yakubu Suleiman, Vice President, North East; Semshak Gompil, Vice President, North Central; Abdullahi Zachary, Treasurer; Okorie Uguru, Publicity Secretary, Ngozika Ngoka, Publicity Secretary; and Shola Ilupeju, Membership Secretary.
In her speech at the event, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry Tourism, Culture and National orientation, Mrs. Nkechi Njele congratulated the FTAN for the AGM and promised greater co-operation between the ministry and the private sector through FTAN. The BOT chairman, Chief Samuel Alabi, in his speech commended the Tomi Akingbogun-led exco for the job well done saying that the exco did much better than his when he was the FTAN president. He called for greater harmony within the association to move the industry forward.
While tendering the scorecard of his first tenure, the FTAN president said the association has expanded its membership base, and that some of the affiliate associations are playing greater roles in the association. He said: “FTAN activities were aired on televisions and radio stations in our advocacy for relevance and survival of the tourism industry. We sponsored many advertisements on radio stations encouraging government agencies to stop travelling abroad for trainings that can be done in Nigeria. We asked the public to buy Nigerian goods, patronise Nigerian tourism sites and stop going abroad for wedding ceremonies, because such action contributes to our economic decay.”
He said FTAN currently has a harmonious working relationship with the ministry of tourism. He thanked the ministry for “immediate action taken in enforcing that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism will not endorse private sector events unless they are through FTAN”.
He said FTAN has an agreement with the ministry to chair the Nigerian Tourism Stakeholders Planning Committee. “FTAN has also entered into partnership with the government in the execution on Abuja/National carnival, and the implementation of the National Tourism Masterplan and the ECOWAS Regional Tourism Policy.”