Akporiaye steps in as NANTA national president

Following her recent emergence as the National President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies, (NANTA), Susan Akporiaye has pledged to confront challenges facing its members and come up with effective strategies that would reposition the body.

In a statement issued by Akporiaye, she stated, “We must admit that while we have global challenges brought on by COVID-19, we also do have some pertinent local challenges facing our members and their businesses, which we must confront and come up with effective strategies to address.

“In due course the incoming executives shall engage and consult with all of you as stakeholders in order to establish and validate our priorities. “I will then be articulating these priorities with strategies on how to move us forward.”

While acknowledging the huge challenge to re-access the agencies’ reach and physical engagement process in view of COVID 19 and the impact on global travel, she noted that the association is conscious of the pressure to rebound and gain immediate foothold, yet determined to guide its members to follow established federal and states governments protocols on COVID 19 and practice safety and social distancing as recommended by health officials globally.

She explained that the association has taken over digitally and all the legal protocols for hand over have taken place and was overseen by the Board of Trustees.

“On one hand, you are assured of continuity because I was one of the outgoing executives of the last administration. On the other hand, this is the birth of a new beginning as the incoming exco takes over under my leadership as the 44th President of NANTA.”

In his remarks the immediate past National President of NANTA Bernard Bankole, “Once again, we have come to the end of another successful administration in the history of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agents (NANTA) and we have every cause to return all thanks to God for making this possible. On this note, I want to use this medium to appreciate all our principals – the airlines, all industry stakeholders, friends and colleagues, for the unwavering support and guidance during my term as the National President. You are the wind beneath my wings and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have served.”

Bankole who held the position for four years and led the association to enviable heights in the travel industry, added, “Piloting the affairs of NANTA in the last four years, with the support of other executive members, was a huge task. We started with creating awareness and building the relevance of our profession in the minds of the general public. Among the many other feats we were able to achieve, we initiated and launched the idea of the NANTA membership card in a bid to protect our market and as well lay the foundation of the NANTA bill. As I now bow out of office, I wish the incoming executives, which will be led by the new National President, Susan Akporiaye, the very best in office as well as the strength and wisdom to carry on with the existing tasks.” he said.