NIHOTOUR graduates over 2,000 students

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

The Nnational Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR),has graduated over 2,000 students who have successfully completed various course programs of the Institute from the years 2014/15 – 2018/19 academic sessions at Diploma, Post Diploma and Certificate levels as well as the international accredited program of IATA passed out at the convocation and were awarded their certificates.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed called on stakeholders in the travel-tourism and hospitality industry to take advantage of the robust global tourism market by harnessing Nigeria’s vibrant tourism and rich cultural endowments for the economic benefits of the country.
This was contained in a statement signed by Ahmed M. Sule HMED, Deputy Director Media and Public Relation, said Mohammed made the call while speaking at the combined second convention and graduation ceremony for
National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), recently in Abuja.
He noted that government’s economic diversification efforts through tourism will best be achieved with available trained manpower and personnel that will effectively drive the industry.
The Minister who was represented by the Acting Director Domestic Tourism in the Ministry Mrs Patricia Narayi, said NIHOTOUR has been uniquely established to provide manpower training and research needs of personnel in the industry .
Earlier in his welcome address, the Acting Director General of the Institute, Dr. Momoh Muhammed Kabir reiterated the determination of NIHOTOUR as a bastion for the provision of well trained professional workforce that will deliver good quality and high standard services in the tourism and hospitality industry of the country in tune with global best practices.
He made a passionate appeal for the intervention of the Minister in ameliorating the Institute’s plight in these regards.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Royal Father of the day and Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar noted that as royal fathers and custodians of the nation’s customs and traditions, they will continue to support all activities of responsible tourism practices in the country.
Meanwhile, the Guest Speaker at the convocation, Dr. Ghali Sheriff of University of Abuja, spoke on the lecture tilted “Tourism and Skill Training for Self Reliance In Contemporary a Nigeria”, emphasized that the organized private sector all over the world are the key drivers of the economies of their respective countries.
Dr.Sheriff called on the graduate trainees to avail themselves of opportunities in the global market by rendering optimally the skills they have acquired in boosting the nation’s tourism and hospitality industry.