From Segun Babatunde in Bauchi
Speakers at the 2022 Annual Master Lecture Series of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), titled Driving Global Climate Action Through Responsible Tourism/Hospitality Business in Nigeria, have been called upon to proffer solutions, modalities and strategies for the mitigation against the unhealthy rise of climatic conditions threatening humanity globally.
Making the call in his welcome address at the occasion, Nura Sani Kangiwa, Director General of the Institute, represented by Dr. Taiwo Famogbiyele – Director of Research and Development, stated that the Hospitality and Tourism industry is also contributing to the worsening climatic condition through its operations that do not adhere to guidelines of mitigation procedures against environmental destabilization and pollution.
In a Press release issued by Ahmed Mohammed Sule, Director General(DG), Media and Public Relations, NIHOTOU,R which was made available to newsmen yesterday, Kangiwa noted that the climate changes being experienced at tourism destinations in the country in the form of extreme weather temperature, variable levels of rainfall, rise in sea levels and flooding, drought and desertification and land degradation are the effects of practices that negate the principles of sustainable tourism activities, calling for the discontinuation of the trend forthwith.
In her address at the occasion, the Special Guest of Honour and Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Senator Nora Ladi Daduut called on operators in the hospitality and tourism sector to check some of their environmental unfriendly activities to curb the menace of climatic change bedeviling Nigeria and the global community at large.
Declaring the event opened through her representative, Mr Isaac Aliyu, Senator Daduut appealed to the participants to come up with workable documents for the Nigerian tourism and hospitality industry to operate its activities responsibly without undue interference to the eco system as well as safe guard the environment for the future generations.
Also delivering a keynote address at the event, Dr. Ifeoma Adaora Anyanwutaku, Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Information and Culture represented by Mrs. Patricia Narai, Director of Domestic and Eco-Tourism Promotion and Control, stated efforts by the federal government to cut carbon emission to the barest minimum through responsible tourism and hospitality operations as part of the country’s contribution to global efforts at mitigating climatic change.
Dr. Anyanwutaku noted that Nigeria is highly committed to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Goal No 13 that seeks countries to take urgent actions to combat climate change globally and in particular, through enforcing responsible operations of tourism and hospitality practices that are not only environmentally friendly but as well sustainable.
In all, a total presentation of 23 papers were made by Lecturers and Instructors from the nine Campuses of the Institute spread across the six geo-political zones of the country, including Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory with varying sub themes bordering on the main theme of the 2022 Master Lecture Series; Driving Global Climate Action Through Responsible Tourism/Hospitality Business in Nigeria.