Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said
Nigeria’s hosting of the United Nations World Tourism Organization
(UNWTO) Global Conference on Tourism, Culture and Creative Industries
in November will provide an opportunity for the country to showcase
its tourism, culture and creative assets.
The Minister made the assertion at the inauguration of the 24-member
Planning Committee for the event, tagged the ‘First UNWTO Global
Conference on Linking Tourism, Culture and the Creative Industries:
Pathways to Recovery and Inclusive Development’, which will take place
at the National Theatre Complex, Lagos, 14-16 Nov. 2022.
He said the global conference will also be used as a platform to
project Nigeria’s image as a safe and desirable destination for
leisure and business; consolidate Nigeria’s relationship with the
UNWTO and its member states, and highlight the restart of travel and
tourism in a safe and seamless manner, after the unprecedented impact
of the Covid-19 pandemic, which resulted in a near collapse of Tourism
and Creatives Industries sectors.
Mohammed explained that the event would also be a platform to
interact and exchange ideas and best practices with key industry
players; generate foreign exchange and create direct and indirect
jobs; and provide opportunities for the training of public and private
sector tourism officials.
He charged the committee to ensure that Nigeria hosts a world class
event in November, in line with the pledge by President Muhammadu
Buhari when he visited the headquarters of the UNWTO in Madrid, Spain,
earlier this month.
”Today’s inauguration of the Planning Committee kickstarts our
preparation for the global conference. The task ahead of us is
enormous, but with the quality of membership of the Planning
Committee, I am positive that Nigeria will once again prove its
ability to successfully organize an event of this magnitude.
”Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, your nomination to serve in this
committee is based on your knowledge and expertise in content,
logistics and planning. The success of the conference therefore rests
on your effectiveness and commitment,” the Minister said.
He said the Planning Committee will be assisted by eleven
sub-committees, and assured that all stakeholders, including the
Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) and the
Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET),
would be accommodated in the sub-committees ”since we cannot
accommodate everyone in the Planning Committee”.
Mohammed said the global conference will be held at the National Theatre, which is currently undergoing massive refurbishment
for the first time since it was commissioned almost five decades ago.
”Apart from the rehabilitation of the building, four hubs for fashion, movie, music and ICT are being built within the National Theatre complex. There is therefore no
better opportunity for us to showcase the renewal of the iconic
National Theatre, which was conceived as a grand hub for the arts,
than during the hosting of this global event,” he said.
The Planning Committee will be chaired by the Minister of Information
and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, while the Permanent Secretary of the
Ministry, Dr. Adaora Ifeoma Anyawutaku, will serve as the Deputy
Chair.
Other members of the Committee are: Ambassador Demola Seriki,
Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to UNWTO and Ambassador to Spain;
Mrs. Abike Dabiri Erewa, Executive Chairman, Nigerian Diaspora
Commission; Ambassador Nasir Aminu, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Mr.
Segun Adeyemi, Special Assistant to the President, Office of the
Minister of Information and Culture; Mr. Williams Adeleye, Special
Assistant to the President, Office of the Minister of Information and
Culture and Mr. Bayo Omoboriowo, Personal Photographer to the
President.
Other members are Dr. Mufutau Kayode, Director Finance and
Administration, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture (FMIC);
Mr. Friday Anumba, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation; Dr. Taiwo
Famigbiyele, Nigerian Institute for Hospitality and Tourism; Sam Agbi,
National Council for Art and Culture; Yanusa Mohammed from National
Theatre; Mrs. Florence Ogar-Moddey, Nigeria Customs Service; Mr. Karim
Idris Nigerian Immigration Service; ace comedian Alli Baba; Mrs. Ronke
Kuye, Shared Agent Network Expansion Facilities (SANEF); Mrs. Ngozi
Nzoka, Nigerian Economic Summit Group; Ms. Dorothy Duruaku, Deputy
Director Overseeing International Tourism Promotion and Cooperation,
FMIC and Mrs. Ugochi Akudo-Nwosu, Deputy Director Overseeing
Entertainment and Creative Services, FMIC.
There will also be representatives of the Central Bank of Nigeria,
Lagos State Government, Bankers’ Committee and Cappa & D’Alberto on
the Planning Committee.
