By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
The Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism , NIHOTOUR, Nura Sani Kangiwa has pledged to support tourism institutions across the country with training for capacity development.
Kangiwa disclosed this when the Vice Chancellor of the University of Mkar, Gboko Benue State, Prof. Zacharys Anger Gundu paid a courtesy visit to the headquarters of the Institute in Abuja yesterday.
He said that partnerships and collaborations the Institute entered with all tourism Institutes and organizations are based on training to enhance capacity building and professional upgrade of practitioners in the industry and not meant to abrogate its responsibilities of certification, registration and licensing of industry personnel and practices in the sector to any other outfit or organization.
The DG refuted misconceptions that partnership between NIHOTOUR and the Institute for Tourism Professionals of Nigeria ,ITPN, which consists registration, licensing and certification of professional practices in the industry as untrue and a misrepresentation of what the partnership entails, noting that the partnership is a healthy one meant to train NIHOTOUR staff in its campuses across the country as well as Career Guide Training for youths at the 2022 Tourism Transportation Summit and Expo of ITPN.
He stressed that as Coordinator of the Hospitality and Tourism Sector Skills Council of Nigeria, Registration and Certification of professional personnel and practices in the industry is the prerogative of the institute and the custodian of the Database of professional practitioners of the industry in the country.
Prof. Zacharys Anger Gundu, Vice Chancellor of University of Mkar, Gboko – Benue State said the need for the University to have a vibrant Travel Tourism and Hospitality Department necessitated the partnership with NIHOTOUR, saying that the visit was to consolidate on the Memorandum of Understanding between the University and the Institute.
Prof. Gundu who stressed the relevance of the tourism industry in the economic diversification of the Nigerian economy, said Benue state in particular is highly endowed with tourism potentials that requires the professional services of skilled middle and high level manpower to explore the potentials for the socio-economic benefits of Benue State in particular, Nigeria at large.
