High expectations as tourism, hospitality bodies visit Kangiwa
Nura Sani Kangiwa
Stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industry have continued in their hopes that the recently appointed Director General, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Alhaji Nura Sani Kangiwa, will not fall short of expectations in repositioning the institute.
No doubt, the apex government training institute for the nation’s tourism sector had remained relegated for reasons blamed on poor funding and lack of visionary leadership.
But with the recent appoint of Kangiwa as a substantive chief executive, lots are expected of him as a practitioner in the industry, who understood the needs and the challenges prior to his appointment.
During a courtesy visit on the D.G by some key officials of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), the body pledged its cooperation and support to help the D.G actualize his vision and mission, which the DG said earlier, was to reposition the institute for better training and service delivery of manpower in the tourism industry.
Leader of the delegation and National President of the association, Alhaji Rabo Kareem, noted that the decision to support Kangiwa was born out of his passion and enormous contributions towards the growth of the industry.
“As a key player in the nation’s tourism industry at various times and capacities, Kangiwa was most deserving of the appointment. I have no doubt in his ability to deliver on the core mandate of NIHOTOUR.
Also speaking, the National President of the Institute of Tourism Professionals of Nigerian (ITPN), Chief Abiodun Odusanwo, reiterated the importance of training and retraining in moving Nigeria tourism industry to greater heights, the responsibility insisted, lies solely on NIHOTOUR as the nation’s apex tourism and hospitality institution.
He therefore urged the new NIHOTOUR Chief Executive to ensure high quality training of personnel that conforms to international standards so as to achieve better service delivery in the industry in line with global best practice.
Also at the meeting was the President, Hotel Owners Forum of Abuja (HOFA), Chief Chioke Ezeude, pledged to mobilize members of his forum to imbibe the culture of training of personnel in the Abuja hotel industry.
According to him, doing so will mean improved and better service delivery for the hospitality sector.
Others who spoke at the occasion include the President, Hospitality and Tourism Management Association of Nigeria (HATMAN), Mr. Samson Aturu and the Vice President of FTAN, South- West Zone, Chief Ayo Olumuko, who all extolled the virtues of Kangiwa as a trusted and avid tourism professional.
They expressed belief that he will make the industry stakeholders proud by putting in his very best to actualize the core mandate of the institute for the greater and general good of the industry and the country at large.
In his response, the elated Kangiwa promising not to betray the trust reposed in him by his people.He noted that capacity building for performance enhancement and competence remained key to the success of a vibrant tourism industry.
He added that NIHOTOUR under his watch will ensure quality training for all cadres of professionals in the hospitality and travels and tourism industry.
He therefore urged stakeholders, particularly in the organized private sector to patronize courses and programs offered by the institute for improvement of professional practice and staff competence.
FTAN is the umbrella body of 32 hospitality and tourism associations and unions in the country’s organized private sector of which Kangiwa was its Vice President for the North-West Zone between 2017 and 2019.
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