The associate editor (Tourism) of the Nigerian Tribune Newspapers, Comrade Wale Ojo-Lanre, has enjoined the Senate to include in the new Bill for the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) the enlistment of journalists as board members of the corporation.
Ojo-Lanre, who submitted to the Public Hearing on a Bill for an Act on the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), described the exclusion of journalists and the media in the decision-making and implementation as one of the missing factors in the country.
He explained that journalists and the media are very important in policy making and implementation, posing that, “who will explain policies to the people if the journalists are excluded from the making of the policies?”
The former Chairman, Oyo State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Chief Press Secretary to a former Ekiti State Governor, Segun Oni, added that “for journalists to be more developmental in their reportage of tourism and other national events, they must be part of decision-making and implementation.”
He explained that “a developmental journalist takes into consideration the interest of the nation, the interest of the people and the welfare of the common man.”
Ojo-Lanre emphasised the need to sequester the Tourism Ministry and locate it under the Presidency, saying, “for all we are doing here not to be in vain, there must be a separate Ministry for Tourism. That is the practice globally. I made the plea the last time I was here. I am begging again. Please, sir, Senate, let us have a separate Tourism Ministry.”
In his reaction, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, commended the keen passion and huge contribution of Ojo-Lanre to the promotion of the Nigerian tourism industry.
“Your well-articulated submission and contributions to the advancement of the Nigerian Tourism industry, and the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) is well noted. Your passionate interest in the industry is highly commendable,” Senator Urhoghide remarked.
