The Nation Newspaper

Category: Business

  • Lagos urged to collaborate with Fed Govt, Ogun on mega city

    •Town planners seek relocation of Okobaba saw millers to Agbowa

    Town Planners in Lagos have called on the state government to reactivate and reexamine the immediate and long-term impact of the moribund Lagos City Development Authority.

    They urged the state on the need to collaborate with the Federal and Ogun State governments on physical developments to align with the planned mega city project.

    They stated this at their Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Ikeja.

    Chairman, Nigeria Institute of Town Planning (NITP) Lagos, Mr Makinde Ogunleye, frowned at a situation where the government and, sometimes, the commissioner are involved in the approval of certain level of planning documents.

    He called for the development and implementation of local plans by the local planning authority in line with the provisions of the existing laws and regulations.

    On the spate of illegal developments, Ogunleye said: “To arrest the spate of illegal development in the state, government should revert to the operation 30/30templates and allow the issuance of development permit by the state agency in charge of planning matters, the district and the local planning office.

    “The governor has no business in the development permit process except on special cases when such proposal was not contemplated in the prevailing approved physical development plan.”

    He stressed that if the advice is heeded, the existing bottleneck in the building plan approval process would be removed and means of doing business in the state enhanced.

    On excised villages, he called for stronger efforts towards the preparation and award of local plans, particularly layouts and development guide plans for the villages.

    The NITP boss stressed that except that is done, the government would be indirectly encouraging the growth of slums and blighted areas in the metropolis, saying the land owners need professional guide to keep the sanity of their communities and surrounding towns.

    Speaking on the long standing controversy on Okobaba saw millers and their relocation, he asked that they should be urgently relocated to Agbowa to aid them to thrive in a conducive environment.

    He made a case for a quick release of the state Geographic information System (GIS) to the public, noting that if this is not done as soon as possible, the GIS may be out of date for any meaningful reference and use by the people.

    In the same vein, he called for a drainage master plan for the state based on expected use, especially in these days of heavy rain.

  • Dana Air begins test flight amid victims’families’complaints

    Dana Air begins test flight amid victims’families’complaints

    DANA has begun a test flight ahead of its planned resumption of operation amid complaints of neglect by families of victims of its crahed plane in Lagos on June 3.

    There are concerns over the airline’s failure to settle owners of properties the aircraft damaged in Iju-Ishaga, a Lagos suburb.

    Owners of the warehouse and duplex the aircraft crashed into, Pastor Daniel Oluranti Omowumi, said last week he lost over N505 million in the crash. He claimed that Dana Air offered him N500,000 as palliative which he rejected. He said since then, he had not heard from the airline. He described its management’s attitude “as inhuman, insensitive and ungodly.”

    Pastor Omowumi, who briefed reporters last week, said he waited till now to seek redress over the insensitivity of Dana Air to his plight as a mark of respect for the 153 passengers who perished in the crash.

    He said the attitude of Dana Air management in not responding to his plight after its aircraft destroyed his life investments was enough indication that it should not be allowed to operate in a civilised environment, where the rights of individuals are taken seriously.

    Dana Air last week embarked on a test flight ahead of its resumption of operations. One of its aircraft was spotted in the air in Lagos to ascertain the airworthiness of the airplane having been on ground for four months, after the crash.

    The aircraft, it was learnt, had on board officials of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), whose mission was to ensure that the carrier met the requirements to resume operations.

    Dana Air spokesman Tony Usidamen confirmed the test flight, saying that it was one of the requirements set for the airline to resume operations.

    A source hinted that staff of the carrier have since been recalled in readiness for operations, adding they are putting processes in place for a hitch- free resumption of flights.

    The source said the carrier may resume flight this week , if all goes well. He said the insurers are working round the clock to resolve issues of compensation to family members who lost their loved ones to the crash.

    Pastor Omowunmi said since June 20, following the request of the airline, he sent a statement of claims through his solicitor, Messers Dele Adesina and Co. to its management. But, four months after, the airline was yet to respond.

    He said: “I have waited till this moment so that families of our dear Nigerians and other nationals killed in the crash could be attended to by Dana Air. Today, I have come to realise that the management of Dana Air are killers and satanic.How could you destroy all that I have worked for in my life, yet be comfortable to turn deaf ears to my plight and homeless family. My lawyer clearly indicated in my letter to Dana Air that my property serves as my residence and business premises, as I use the place as a furniture factory, warehousing goods for people and running a fish pond.”

    He vowed to embark on actions to seek redress, which are not limited to court actions to enforce his rights and that of his family .

    He, however, called on President Goodluck Goodluck Jonathan, the Lagos State Governor and the minister of Aviation to put pressure on Dana Air management to discharge their responsibility to him as required under the law.

    He listed the property damaged by the Dana Air aircraft to include a six- bedroom duplex, four-bedroom bungalow and two standard warehouses all located at N0. 8/10 Popoola Street, Iju/ Ishaga, Lagos State.

    Besides, he said four fish ponds that were fully stocked were also damaged, alongside other items, including 517 panel doors, imported educational materials, imported kitchen utensils, furniture making machines and other equipment.

    Meanwhile, DANA Air has reassured all affected residents that compensation would be paid by its insurers in accordance with the law.

    Usadimen said: “ DANA Air would like to reaffirm that all claims are being paid by our insurers in accordance with the law. Cogents efforts to provide temporary relief to the displaced residents were made on July 3, 2012, when the airline presented cheques to affected families. But, some declined the offer citing personal reasons.”

  • NPA’s marine unit is weak, says MD

    The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mallam Habib Abdullahi, has decried the dearth of manpower in the marine unit of the authority.

    He said he was prepared to partner with the Society of Nigerian Mariners to enhance the department’s capability.

    Abdullahi spoke when executive members of the association, led by its Chairman, Capt Cosmas Niagwan, visited him in his office in Lagos.

    Urging the group to assist in building the department to international standard, Abdullahi said he was happy to receive the delegation of master mariners, marine engineers and retired senior Navy officers.

    “I need your assistance please. I need you to come in and assist in the best way to move forward the marine division. I don’t know how you are going to do it,” he said.

    He expressed the desire to move NPA marine activities back to its old days. He challenged mariners to come forward with suggestions and action plans that would enhance the activities of NPA.

    He added that if it required appointing a consultant from the association to revitalise the agency’s marine department, he would do it.

    Earlier, Niagwan, who is also a master mariner, said the association is aimed at bringing mariners under one umbrella and that it is willing to partner with the NPA to ensure that the organisation fulfills its objectives and responds more appropriately to the needs of stakeholders.

    Also speaking, the association’s Secretary-General, Greg Ogbeifun promised that the association would work with the agency, adding that for the association to assist Abdulahi, it must understand what the managing director desires.

    “For us to come up with ideas, we will need to know what is on ground; we will like to do a bit of due diligence, but more importantly, we will like to know what is in your heart, so that we will be able to articulate a process of taking the situation from where it is to where it’s going,” he said.

  • ‘Importers, agents against Cabotage Act’s implementation’

    The implementation of the Cabotage Act is being sabotaged by agents, importers and other maritime operators, a university teacher has said.

    Mr Dipo Alaka of the Lagos State University (LASU) said the law could easily be implemented if the agency saddled with enforcing it, musters the political will to do so.

    “This is the time for the government to buckle-up and see to the implementation of the Cabotage law. But we need to understand the problems confronting the agency before we can say yes, maybe some individuals in government are trying to frustrate the implementation.

    “My thinking is that every ship that calls at our port should first declare arrival to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), NIMASA and the Navy. By doing so, it would become easy to implement the law,” he said.

    Alaka said the execution of the law should not be a problem. “The agency saddled with the responsibility of enforcing the law does not even need to get to the jetty to arrest a vessel; she can ask a vessel to tell her its point of loading. So, if it is offshore Lagos or offshore Cotonou, the agency can then verify if it is on the list of Cabotage registered vessels.

    “Therefore, implementation should not be a major issue. From all indications there must be a kind of conspiracy between the operators and people that grant approval for foreign vessels to come into the country.”

    He said Nigerian ship owners must be supported by the government and banks to buy sufficient vessels to adequately carry out coastal trade.

    The Coastal and Inland Shipping Act, 2003, he said, is a protectionist law enacted to create exclusive areas of operations in the coastal trade for indigenous operators.

  • IMF to Nigeria: keep inflation, credit growth rates moderate

    IMF to Nigeria: keep inflation, credit growth rates moderate

    • Cuts global growth forecasts

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has advised Nigeria, other developing economies and emerging markets to retain their ability to respond flexibly to shocks by maintaining sound fiscal position, by keeping inflation and credit growth at moderate rates.

    The agency disclosed this in its October 2012 World Economic Outlook (WEO), released yesterday.

    The nation’s inflation rate for August was 11.7 per cent. Historically, from 2006, the inflation rate averaged 10.6 per cent, reaching an all time high of 15.6 per cent in February of 2010 and a record low of 3.0 per cent in July of 2006. Inflation rate refers to a general rise in prices measured against a standard level of purchasing power.

    Following the adoption of a tight monetary policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), credit extended to the private sector only increased 4.7 per cent between December 2011 and July 2012, despite year-on-year growth rates of 40 per cent-plus, which was partly attributed to the Assets Management Company of Nigeria’s (AMCON) bonds.

    Analysts expect a pick-up in credit growth from the first quarter of 2013, which will accelerate once rates begin to ease. But the Federal Government has not really succeeded on the fiscal front.

    The agency also noted that in emerging markets and developing economies, activity has been slowed by monetary policy tightening in response to capacity constraints, weaker demand from advanced economies, and country-specific factors.

    “Policy improvements have raised their resilience to shocks. Since the crisis erupted in 2008, expansionary policies have buffered the negative impact of the weakness in advanced economy markets: fiscal deficits have typically been above pre-crisis levels, whereas real interest rates have been lower.”

    It said domestic credit has grown rapidly. “Over the medium term, policymakers will need to ensure that they retain the ability to respond flexibly to shocks by maintaining a sound fiscal position and also by keeping inflation and credit growth at moderate rates,” the IMF stated.

    In this respect, the Fund said policy tightening during 2011 was appropriate, stressing that given the growing downside risks to external demand, central banks have appropriately paused or reversed some of the monetary policy tightening measures.

    The IMF also lowered its global growth forecasts to 3.3 per cent and 3.6 per cent for the year 2012 and 2013, respectively.

    This is slightly lesser than the July 2012 WEO update that projected a global growth of 3.5 per cent in 2012 and 3.9 percent in 2013, respectively.

    “The recovery has suffered new setbacks, and uncertainty weighs heavily on the outlook. A key reason is that policies in the major advanced economies have not rebuilt confidence in medium-term prospects. Tail risks, such as those relating to the viability of the euro area, or major U.S. fiscal policy mistakes, continue to preoccupy investors,” the report said.

    The Fund however forecast a relatively solid output in many emerging markets and developing economies, but noted that output remains sluggish in advanced economies.

    “Unemployment is likely to stay elevated in many parts of the world. And financial conditions will remain fragile,” it added.

  • Govt okays vessels for Customs patrol

    The Federal Government has approved two vessels for the Customs to tackle sea pirates.

    Sources told The Nation that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) gave approval for the vessels’ acquisition at its meeting in Abuja.

    Controller of the Western Marine Command, Apapa, Lagos, Mr Zakka Audu, said the Command would restructure as soon as the vessels arrive.

    “Our jurisdiction is purely on water and creeks. In the past, we have not been able to reach the high seas. But with the vessels approved by the Federal Government, our Command will become more effective in monitoring the high seas.

    “All the seizures we have been making so far have been in the creeks and rivers, while the smugglers bring in ships which they anchor on the high seas where we are unable to reach,’’ he said.

    He said an Assistant Comptroller-General had been assigned by the Comptroller-General of Customs to inspect facilities at the command to upgrade them.

    Audu said the command’s officers and men were being trained on the use of weapons, swimming and others.

    The Public Relations Officer Command, Mr Zakari Chado, said the command recorded six seizures valued at over N3 million last month.

    The items, he said, were abandoned by smugglers on sighting customs patrol boats.

    The seizures, he said, were made at Idiroko, Yekeme and Badagry.

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at Seme border has arrested a couple for allegedly importing 30kg of Cannabis (Indian hemp) worth N3.2 million into the country.

    The Area Comptroller, Mr Othman Salleh, said the couple was arrested with the drug in a KIA saloon car with registration number KST 160 AG at Gbaji-Yeke checkpoint.

    The female suspect, he said, was arrested with a baby on her back; the husband was partially disabled.

    According to the customs boss, the hard drug was concealed in the engine and back seat compartments of the car.

    The suspects, the exhibits and the car, he said, had been handed over to narcotic officials at the border.

  • World Habitat Day: Experts push for functional cities

    World Habitat Day: Experts push for functional cities

    Globally, the first Monday of October is celebrated as the World Habitat Day. It’s a day to reflect on the state of towns and cities as well as on the basic right of all to adequate shelter, urban services and movement. The transformation in cities has brought with it several challenges. In some major cities, over 69 per cent of residents live in slums, grappling with poor infrastructure, lack of basic amenities and high cost of funds. Experts have agreed on the need to make the cities functional to act as engines of growth, reports, OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE.

    The World Habitat Day offers an opportunity for governments to bring to the fore the challenges of millions who live in towns and cities.

    It’s a fact that millions of the urban–poor live in slums with little or no access to basic amenities and well below the United Nations-Habitat standard for decent housing. People live in houses without toilets or in some cases over five people share a toilet and bathroom.

    Lagos State Governor Mr Babatunde Fashola, speaking on this year’s theme, Changing cities; building opportunities, said it aptly described Lagos and the pursuit of his administration to become Africa’s model mega city.

    He said positive change could help develop livable cities as engines of growth, which have the capacity to translate into opportunities for a larger number of people to have improved well–being if planned, but if not will result into urban degradation and unemployment.

    Fashola said the reality that Lagos would be home to over 25 million people by 2015 challenged his government and stimulated innovative ideas which galvanised their plan to adopt systematic and directional developmental programme.

    He, however, agreed that they wouldn’t have done much in creating a livable environment without the cooperation of the people.

    On areas his government has worked on to create a livable environment, he listed good road network, construction of the Blue and Red light-rail network, which is progressing at an appreciable pace.

    He said the affordable housing scheme of the government was also geared towards an innovative and sustainable solution to make home ownership accessible to first-time buyers in a livable city.

    UN Habitat Programme Manager for Nigeria Mallam Kabir Yari said the day is to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat.

    He said over seven billion people reside on earth with half living in cities, calling on stakeholders to make the earth livable by their actions.

    He said the United Nations agency had embarked on pro-poor land and housing programmes in some parts of Lagos, such as Ifako/Agege, and Jos while engaging in structured planning in Anambra, Nasarawa and Osun states.

    He observed that the theme of this year was underscoring the need for our cities to be better planned to avoid chaotic development, urban sprawl and declining economic productivity.

    He said: “When cities are well planned, they continue to provide opportunities to the current and future residents. One distinguishing factor of our urban challenge today is that while the urban population continues to grow phenomenally, the supply of natural land is fixed.

    “This implies that, despite efforts at creating new sand-filled sites, there is a tendency for the cost to spiral upwards, as the contest for land by competing uses increases.”

    Yari advised governments to ensure that, in present and future developments, land is efficiently and effectively utilised in a sustainable manner so that future generations are not denied the benefits and use of land.

    Chairman, Nigeria Institute of Architects (NIA), Mr Ladipo Lewis, while commending Lagos for some of its strides on the environment, urged the citizens to be part of the development and obey building control and planning regulations to have a livable city.

    An environmentalist, Uko Umoh, asked governments to use this year’s theme as a guide in their various development plans.

    He decried a situation where they allow people to develop houses and then turn around to demolish them, citing non-adherence to planning regulations. He stressed that cities must build opportunities for their residents if not, they would stand the risk of abuse and degradation.

    Director-General, Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau, Mr Bolaji Uthman, urged that historical places in the state should be preserved. He decried the destruction of such places for newer development, which has no history. He argued that for a city to create opportunity for its residents, it must have a history.

    Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development Mr Olutoyin Ayinde said the state has accomplished many development plans, such as the Lekki, Badagry, Ikoyi/Victoria Island, Ikeja, Alimosho and Lagos central master plans, that have made the city livable.

    He said the state has continued to experience change and also build opportunities for its residents, which has made it synonymous with the theme of this year’s celebration.

  • ‘Foreign portfolio investment in NSE hits N277.15b’

    ‘Foreign portfolio investment in NSE hits N277.15b’

    The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has recorded a year-to-date foreign portfolio investment of N277.15 billion.

    The Managing Director, BGL Securities Limited, Sunday Adebola, said the figure represents the total value of shares traded on the floor of the Exchange by foreign portfolio investors since beginning of the year.

    He said: “Data from the Exchange has shown that 66 per cent of the activities in the stock market are being controlled by the foreign portfolio investors.”

    Adebola, told The Nation: “It has been established that N419.93 billion worth of shares have been traded on the floor of the Exchange this year alone. I want to believe that 66 per cent of these are done by the foreign portfolio investors.

    “This translates to N277.15billion. That is what we can see in terms of what the foreign portfolio investors have done up to date,” he stated.

    Adeola said the growth of a capital market is dependent upon certain microeconomic factors, such as the fundamentals of the quoted companies, forces of supply and demand, and international prices of crude oil, among others.

    “Empirically, a study has been done that showed correlation between the oil price and stock market growth in Nigeria. If we have oil prices going up, the economy will become buoyant, more foreign investors (direct and portfolio) will show interest in the economy, and the activities in the market will pick up.

    He said although, we have seen a situation whereby oil prices are going up and the stock market was experiencing a downturn. But in most cases, the prices of crude oil determine the growth of other sectors of the economy,” he added.

    He said all the All-Share Index, market capitalisation, share index of various sectors have improved in recent times, adding that the achievements are remarkable when compared with what was obtained last year.

    The expert said the market growth can be sustained, if all the various initiatives introduced by the regulators are not kept.

    He added that the emergence of market makers has improved liquidity and activities in the market.

    He noted that the coming in of market makers has buoyed the confidence of investors who hitherto have gone to sleep.

    Adebola said the monetary authorities have promised to bring down the interest rates, arguing that the development would made people shift from fixed-income securities to the stock market.

    He said when investors know that they will have better yields in the stock market than bonds, they would take good investment decision.

  • Stallion gets franchise for Korean vehicles

    Stallion gets franchise for Korean vehicles

    Stallion Motors, a leading automobile dealership has won exclusive dealership for SsangYong, Korea’s fourth largest automaker, bringing to nine similar automobile franchises managed by the conglomerate.

    Other exclusive franchises controlled by Stallion Motors include Porsche, Audi, Volkswagen, Skoda, Honda, Hyundai, Ashok Leyland and Foton.

    The firm will by virtue of this recognition be responsible for marketing, sales and after sales activities of SsangYong brand in Nigeria.

    An archetypal replica of Mercedes-Benz, SsangYong adapted Mercedes Benz technology in 1991 after the company brokered skill partnership acquisition with Daimler-Benz to develop SUV using Mercedes-Benz know-how.

    SsangYong leveraged on this influence to build its infrastructure while utilising the existing Mercedes-Benz network to raise the profile of its evolving presence in the competitive SUV market.

    SsangYong Nigeria Marketing Director, Mr Jatin Nadkarni, told journalist at the unveiling of SsangYong product line-up in Lagos that Stallion Motors is committed to creating a niche for SsangYong in Nigeria.

    Nadkarni said Stallion Motors is working towards generating consistent demand for SsangYong in Nigeria and that it plans to impel clientele with the powerful technological affiliation SsangYong enjoys with Mercedes Benz.

    The company has already taken delivery of the entire SsangYong range in preparation for the formal launch that would come up at a later date.

    The models include Rexton, Kyron and Actyon Sports, all of which are available in Stallion Motors branches nationwide. The Korando is expected to be available in Nigeria early next year.

    A notable highlight among the models from SsangYong is the Actyon Sports Pick-up 4WD, expected to interest clientele seeking solutions for haulage and other commercial uses.

    The new Actyon Sports Pick-up is available in three variants – 4WD Manual Transmission, MT), 4WD MT with ABS+ABG and 2WD Manual Transmission.

    A veritable pioneer automaker, SsangYong initiated the era of four-wheel drive vehicles in the 80s when it independently developed Musso and Korando – Korea’s most enduring SUV brands in the global market.

    Today, SsangYong has established itself as leader of SUVs by building a full line-up of SUVs consisting of Rexton, Kyron, Actyon, and Actyon Sports.

    The icing on the cake for the evolving automaker is SsangYong’s Chairman W luxury sedan which is currently rated as Korea’s new sensation in the luxury segment.

    ‘Chairman W’ is Korea’s first luxury vehicle with V8 5000cc engine and a 7-speed automatic transmission which compares with other leading luxury cars around the world.

    SsangYong Motors is also committed to the advancement of eco-friendly diesel technology through the development of a sophisticated, world-class common rail engine to strengthen its global competitive edge by producing environment-friendly, small eXDi200 engines that conform to the EURO5 standards. This is in addition to the company’s recent efforts to develop EURO6 compliant engines.

    SsangYong SUVs is sold through 1,250 sales networks in over 96 countries and is actively entering the global market by establishing strong and viable local bases in major markets including Nigeria.

  • Catch fun, get a job

    Catch fun, get a job

    Here is good news for job seekers. They can make a living in tourism. What is more, the work is easy and not too capital intensive. All they need is the drive to push things as tour operators, writes AKINOLA AJIBADE.

    Tourism has been with us for a long time, but we have not been able to tap its enormous potentials. Gradually, it is dawning on Nigerians that through tourism a lot of jobs can be created. You name it; there are jobs in tourism hot spots, such as beaches, waterfalls, hills, mountains cattle ranches, monuments and hotels.

    The tourism industry, according to experts, is worth over N100 billion. Statistic shows the industry employs many unskilled workers, who work in hotels and allied sector. There is a window of opportunities for job creation in tour packaging, under which a travel agent organises a tour, transportation, food and lodging at an inclusive price for those interested in visiting tourist centres. The organiser gets a bus and takes people to tourists’ beaches, museums, cinemas, art galleries and historical sites, among other places.

    Tour packaging has the capacity to create jobs for people in the tourism value chains. Experts believe that tour packaging can create about a million jobs, depending on the volume of traffic at tourists centres across the country. Each tour organiser can create five or six jobs, they said, such as driving, tour guiding/coaching.

    Managing Director of SJ Tours Limited Mrs Abiola Ogunbiyi said a tour organiser can create jobs for four or more individuals. She said Lagos alone could have more than 2,000 operators packaging tours, adding that each would get events to package.

    She divided tour packaging into special interest tours, adventure tours, city or regional tours, group tours and fully escorted tours. Special-interest tours are designed around a particular interest area which could include arts, food and wine, sports, cultural or agricultural; adventure tours allow tourists to participate in areas of interest for the duration of the tour. Examples include diving, rock or mountain climbing, horse riding, skiing or cycling.

    City/regional tours last for a day or less. Usually, the tours follow a fixed itinerary, visiting areas of interest.

    Group tours also follow a fixed and pre-arranged itinerary, and require a certain number of travellers. The tours require getting a 56-seater bus to accommodate more travellers. The fully-escorted tours are for solo tourists.

    Often times, the tours are somewhat educational because the travellers are exposed to local, historical and cultural knowledge by their guide.

    Mrs Ogunbiyi said each tour determines the number of jobs that would be created.

    She said: “Tour packaging among other concepts has opened a window of employment opportunities for people. Many people can go into tour packaging because of the huge tourism potentials in Nigeria. Considering the over 160 million population, and array of tourists’ sites in the country, there is a huge market for people that venture into tour packaging. I package tours for companies. The tours are meant for local and foreign tourists, and they are rewarding.

    “Recently, I packaged a tour that culminated in visiting places, such as Bar Beach, Eko Atlantic, Museum and Nike Art Gallery. This is not without fees and the participants found it interesting.”

    She said tour packaging provides avenues for drivers, food sellers, tour guides, among others, to earn a living as they do not need a university degree to become a tour guide. She added that a tour guide only needs integrity and knowledge of the areas to educate his clients properly.

    “You do not need certain educational certificates to become a tour guide. What you need is honesty among other attributes to get businesses. A tour guide must have the ability to convince people to buy his ideas. There are many who sit at home at weekends. They are not doing anything. Tour guides can encourage them to visit sites to catch fun.

    “We are talking of social miscreants in the society. They can serve as tour guides, after their orientation must have been changed.”

    According to her, more than 5,000 guides are needed to work for those packaging tours.

    She said tour packaging has a multiplier effect because it provides business for many, stressing that those selling drinks, foods, souvenirs and other mementoes benefit from the business.

    The Commissioner for Tourism and Inter-Governmental Relations in Lagos State, Mr Disun Holloway, said Lagos boasts of huge tourism potentials.

    Speaking at a programme organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Holloway said the population of the state is a boost to tourism because it can provide job opportunities for many.

    In its latest forecast, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) said some 897,500 jobs, representing 1.4 per cent of the country’s total workforce can be generated by tourism.

    The body said the industry contributed about N1,232.2 billion (3.3 per cent) to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) last year, adding that the figure would increase by 10.8 per cent this year. The figure, it said, would increase by 7.0 per cent yearly to hit N2,690.8 billion in 2022.

    “Travel and tourism directly generated 838,500 jobs (1.4 per cent of total employment) last year, and this is forecast to grow by 7.0 per cent in 2012 to 897,500 jobs. The jobs would be created by hotels, travel agents, airlines as well as activities of the restaurant and leisure industries directly supported by tourists and other passenger services (excluding commuter services),” the report said.

    It noted that the country has witnessed a steady growth in its GDP and job creation over the last four years, stressing that the development favoured the tourism sector.

    The Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, said the agency is wooing investors in line with the corporation’s forecast.

    He said the investment would help in building tourism and hospitality infrastructure, manpower and drawing global attention to the hospitality, transportation, eco- tourism and sports sectors of the economy.