The right won by Nigeria to host the United Nation World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) conference in 2018 has been described as “”a global endorsement of programmes and efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration”.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said on Thursday in Addis Ababa that the hosting right reiterated the confidence the global community has in Nigeria.
Nigeria, on Wednesday, won the right to host, in 2018, the 61st meeting of African Ministers in charge of Tourism tagged UNWTO Commission for Africa (CAF)
Mohammed, who led Nigeria’s delegation to Addis Ababa for the 59th edition of the meeting and a high level meeting on Chinese Outbound Tourism in Africa, said the country would leverage on the hosting opportunity.
““Wednesday was a big moment for Nigeria here in Addis Ababa because Nigeria got the endorsement of the whole world to host the 61st session of the CAF mission of the UNTWO.
““What that means really is that the entire world has endorsed the programmes and efforts of President Buhari’s administration,’’ he said.
Mohammed said that hosting the conference should be seen in a bigger picture that “Nigeria “is once again on the global stage’’.
He said the event would provide the country, the opportunity to showcase its diverse culture and give its own narrative from its own perspective.
“Hosting this conference will give confidence to investors that this is a country they can come and invest in.
“It will also convince the entire world that Nigeria is serious in promoting culture, music, film and entertainment industry to diversify its economy,’’ he said,
The minister said that no amount of money invested in hosting the conference could be seen as waste because of the goodwill it will bring to the country.
He said so many other countries were bidding to host the event to boost their tourism industry and attract goodwill to their nations.
Speaking in same vein, the Secretary General of UNWTO, Taleb Rifa said “the endorsement of Nigeria for the hosting of 61st CAF “is a great piece of news for the country’’.
““I am absolutely sure that with the hosting of the CAF meeting, you will see that the Nigeria’s tourism industry will get on the right track and achieve results.
““In addition to the direct economic benefits this event will bring to the country, the limelight the country will be exposed to is unquantifiable.
“Nigeria will be hosting all Ministers of Tourism in Africa, that itself will send the powerful message that tourism is important for Nigeria.”
Rifai said Nigeria was a major player in tourism industry and the UNTWO had missed the country in its fold until the minister launched it back last year.
““Nigeria is one third in times of number and the weight it represents in the arts, the movie and the creative industry in general in Africa.
“What comes out of Nigeria in these areas of the industry is enough to be disseminated to the whole world.
“However, Nigeria is not utilising that yet and this conference will be a great opportunity to realise that,’’ he said.
Rifai commended the passion and efforts of the minister at repositioning the tourism and creative sector (NAN)
“Who feels it, know it all” – Bob Marley.
The Nigeria people, who feel and experience Buhari’s government, are the right people to gauge and judge his government. Normally whoever that is gaining from or satisfied with a government will laud it and those not gaining from or not satisfied with it will not laud it.
If world leaders applaud the government, it means they are gaining from it or are satisfied with Buhari. The primary concern of Buhari should be the welfare of Nigerians. Until a majority of Nigerians feel satisfied with or are gaining from his government, he can not normally be said to be doing a good job. Are the majority of Nigerians satisfied or benefiting from this government?
What else would one expect to hear from liar Mohammed, after all Buhari is his boss.
This government has always cared more about what they ‘perceive’ the outside world is thinking of them and making tenuous inferences from their statements and decision, and very little, if any at all, about Nigerian citizens.
Which tourist will want to visit Nigeria where any of both government and non government agencies including SARS, Policemen, and The Army never mind ‘gunmen and Fulani herdsmen may descend on you any minute for the flimsiest of excuses. This is nothing but ego massage.
Perhaps,the Representives of those countries that endorsed or
voted for Nigeria,to host the United Nation World Tourism
Organization Conference (UNWTO) are oblivious of the fact that ordinary electrictiy,is in short supply in Nigeria.Yet, electricity is a commodity taken for granted in our 21st Century.
Come to think about that,Nigeria is a major oil and gas exporting
country in the world though,but the Nigerian Government is unable
to provide electricity to the citizens.
What a crying shame,indeed!
Apart from that,Hausa/Fulani/Kanuri Jihadist Killer Squads (Boko
Haram,Fulani herdsmen and muslim Militias) are on prohl all over the country, killing innocent Nigerians, and kidnapping foreign vistors for ransoms in hard currencies;Dollars,Pound Sterlings and Euros.
Perhaps, the lying Liar Mohammed,Buhari’s Minister of Information díd bribe the delegates in the Confernce in Addis Ababa,to vote for Nigeria and didn’t give a damn about informing his would-be guests about the dangers that awaits them here in Nigeria.
Oh dear! What a country!
As the world goes there, let them be mindful of high tension electricity poles. They can fall on them.
May the souls of those murdered by the inefficient PHCN with the fall of electricity cables rest in peace.