President Muhammadu Buhari has aproved the removal of Sally Mbanefo as Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC).
Mbenafo’s removal was contained in a letter dated November 27, 2016 and signed by the Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Engr. Babachir David Lawal.
According to the letter, “I refer to the attached letter, Ref. No. SGF.6/S.23/1/568 of 8th October, 2013, in respect of your secondment
from the Keystone Bank Limited to serve as Executive Director/ Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation
(NTDC) for a period of two years with effect from 6th May 2013.
You may note from the foregoing that the period of your secondment at the corporation had since lapsed on 5th May 2016.
Consequently, you are to handover the affairs of the corporation to the most senior officer on or before Wednesday, 30th November, 2016.”
Reacting to the exit of Sally Mbanefo, stakeholders in the tourism industry who see the step as a sigh of relieve, described the wind of change as a good omen, urging the Federal Government to look for a credible replacement that will reposition the agency to operate like
its counterpart in other countries.
“Tourism stakeholders who spoke with Travelpulse&MICE, but declined their names being mentioned said, “NTDC plays a significant role in the development, marketing and promotion of the tourism in Nigeria, but if you don’t have the right person in place nothing will work, because it is the pivot on which the public and private sector partnership spin.
“We need to critical bring in core professional, who has a good wealth of experience and exposure in tourism promotion and marketing
domestically and internationally.
“We need someone who will not shrink the office into a kiosk but someone who will expand the horizon of the agency with practical
commitment to achieving record-breaking evidence under short period of time.”
The stakeholders however appealed to Federal government to carefully appoint the right person that will rather bring remarkable brand
innovations that would practical promote and develop tourism in Nigeria.
and then