NANTA makes history June 26, as Osinbajo launches industry ID for members

In order not to be left behind in the fight against corrupt tendencies embarked upon by the present government, the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agents (NANTA), has concluded plans to launch what it called industry identity card that will make it almost impossible for the bad eggs in its midst to continue to defraud unsuspecting air travelers under the guise of obtaining tickets for them.

Announcing this development, the President of NANTA, Mr. Bankole Bernard, who said the ID Card project will be launched to the public on June 26, 2018 in Lagos, hinted that the Chief launcher will be Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

According to Bankole, the project when launched, will enable the association and the traveling public to identify the genuine registered members to transact business with.

Bankole, who lamented how the criminal activities of the fraudulent travel agents had negatively rubbed on the genuine registered travel agents, attributed this to why the Federal Government has not accord the association the desired recognition.

His words: “prior to now, travel agent profession has been that of an all comer affairs including fraudsters, traffickers because we were not organised. This must stop, we are bringing sanity to the profession. While we are now able to track down the genuine registered travel agents, government will now have confidence and be willing to support us.”

While advising the traveling public that after the launch of the ID Card project, “ no intending passenger should patronize travel tickets from any travel agent without sighting his/her professional identity card issued by the NANTA.”

We are taking the project with serious concern because prior to now,there have been cases of fraudulent travel agents defrauding unsuspecting travelers to the tune of millions of Naira. Even the presidency was once defrauded by a fake agent who was eventually trailed to Benin in Edo State. They were able to do this because of the lapses which we are about to close now with the launch of the ID.”

Asked on the fate of travelers who often prefer to obtain tickets online, the NANTA Leadership while agreeing that people can still be defrauded through this means however advised; “Make sure the travel agent have the NANTA Logo with the accurate security code before you transact any deal with him/her. Ask serious questions or even put a call through to the NANTA secretariat.”

Besides the launch of the project, Bankole has also indicated of the decision of the association to embark on aggressive enlightenment campaigns across the six geopolitical zones of the country on what intending travelers need to do and who to approach while making plans to purchase travel tickets.