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�FDI:Our image problem no longer an issue�
Adebisi Oyewo, the Managing Director/CEO of Ayum Travel Bureau, speaks on the challenges facing tourism operators and what government needs to do to make the sector a big foreign exchange earner like South Africa, Kenya et. c. in this chat with TUNDE OSO. Excerpts:
How do you see the Federal Government efforts at attracting Foreign Direct Investment, especially in the tourism sector of the economy?
The Federal Government is trying its best as regards the investment climate in Nigeria, but it has to do more so as to make the economy attractive for foreign direct investment. It should provide the necessary infrastructure. Most companies now rely heavily on generators because of the epileptic power supply, whereas an economy is powered by electricity. Small and medium scale enterprises depend largely on the power sector to remain profitable in operation. Though the government had voted a lot of sum on power generation, the reality on ground now has made it to look like a drop in the ocean. Government efforts should be sustained. It has also done very well in the telecommunications sector, but it has to tackle other infrastructural problems. The government should also try to develop our tourist sites and places so as to generate foreign exchange and more money from this sector. It should realise that though oil is important, it is not the only avenue of making money. Countries like Kenya, Botswana, Egypt, South Africa are tourist havens, where the governments rake in millions of money from leisure. Let�s tap our natural resources in tourism.
What about the issue of various taxes that industry watchers says discourages foreign direct investment?
We have often appealed to the government to make it easy for tourists and visitors to plant their business here. As an enterprise, we try to let our clients know that there are abundant resources in this country no matter what Nigeria�s detractors say crime rate in high, corruption, violence advance fraud etc. This social malaise exists in other, even advanced economics. So Nigeria�s case is not an isolated case. There is still some bureaucracies in businesses establishing itself here. For instance, look at the obsolete Land Use Act that should have been abrogated long time ago. Government should therefore look at some of its laws that make it difficult to bring businesses to this country. Government should also ensure consistent economic and fiscal policies. This would give an impression of a serious country.
What about our image problem? We were at one time rated as one of the most corrupt country.
That image is changing gradually. I also read the report where we were rated very low. But in subsequent ratings, our image had improved. We have so many government agencies working assiduously to correct this image. Agencies like NDLEA, NAFDAC, EFCC, ICPC etc have been doing wonderful jobs. Government has also, in its daily activities and in business deals with many foreign partners, shown transparency. For instance in publishing the statutory allocations to states etc. It still has some other aspects to be open but it is a lot better than what obtained in the past. Also in our individualities we still have to change our perception in our business activities, to be more transparent and honest. It takes an individual to be honest and upright for a nation to change from its corrupt ways.
How would you rate the performance of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation these past years?
The agency needs to work harder. If you are serious about attracting tourists to the country, you must have attractive, clean beautiful sites. For example, if you visit South Africa, you wouldn�t think it is the same African country when you visit the games reserves, the hotels, the historical places and edifices etc. Everything is clean, beautiful, well tended etc. You have the beaches stretching over thousands of kilometres, no faeces or excrement or dirts littering the places like Nigeria. So, the corporation should develop our tourist sites, make it more attractive as to make it revenue- yielding unlike now when many are lying in waste and unkempt. A visitor or tourist does not want to come to Nigeria to attend owambe parties. He would want to visit some of our beautiful, natural sites, scenes and edifices because they (foreigners) really appreciate beauty and natural things. Again, the corporation has to do some orientation for Nigerians. So many of us exhibit dirty instincts. Look at so many tourist attractions in the country which have been cannibalised, spoilt by dirts, turned to filth-dumping sites, for passing faeces etc and you�ll almost cry in exasperation that these are what could have been used for money-yielding entreprises.
Cuts in... so a lot still need to be done on our tourism potentials.
Let�s face it oil is a natural endowment, but so are our tourist attractions, beaches, games reserves etc. A country like Egypt which I have visited very well makes a lot of foreign currencies from its pyramids and other sites. We have hundreds of attractions than this country so why are we not tapping them enough.?
Sunday PUNCH August 29, 2004
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