By Justina Auta
Abuja – Mrs Mariel Rae-Omoh, the Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), on Friday called for increased funding of the organisation, to enable it to achieve its mandate.
Rae-Omoh made the call at the closing ceremony of a skill acquisition and empowerment training programme organised by the corporation in Abuja.
She expressed regret that funding constraints had hindered the corporation’s capacity to sustain good initiatives such as this one.
She, therefore, appealed to corporate organisations, relevant stakeholders, national and international funding agencies to support the corporation’s initiatives.
“This may be one of several reasons that cripple the Nigerian Tourism Industry.
“ I will, therefore, not hesitate to appeal to all stakeholders to support our initiatives with increased funding, so that this effort could be replicated and the impact on job creation, revenue generation and empowerment will be enormous.’’
Rae-Omoh commended the efforts of the participants, urging them to utilise the skills they had acquired to generate income for themselves, increase the nation’s Gross Domestic Product and create job opportunities for youths.
On his part, Mr Andrew Fleming, the Deputy Head, Political Section/ECOWAS and Regional Affairs, British High Commission, charged the corporation to enhance the exhibition of its potential.
Fleming also underscored the need to promote such potential via social media, to create more awareness on tourism.
He noted the abundant tourism potential in the country which, he said, should be advertised more to attract foreign tourists.
He added that the commission would continue to support NTDC to achieve its mandate.
In a remark, Miss Edna Odiage, one of the trainees, commended the efforts of the corporation in empowering unemployed youths and women to be self-reliant and to become employers of labour.
She appealed for more support to unemployed youths, to enable them to generate income as well as reduce criminal activities in the society.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 66 women and youths benefitted from the two-week training on soap and disinfectant production.
Other vocations in which the participants were trained included local weaving, bead making, tie and dye, hat making, tying scarves, hair weaving, catering and furniture making.