The creation of Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy by the Tinubu administration was a welcomed development to some culture and tourism enthusiasts.
Recall that three ministries were created from the Ministry of Information and Culture under the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari, which Alhaji Lai Mohammed presided over.
They are; Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy.
Before Tinubu appointed his cabinet members, some stakeholders had appealed to him to split the then Ministry of Information and Culture in order to maximise the potentials in the tourism industry for the country.
They contended that that there were a lot the country could benefit from tourism industry, Arts and Cultural promotion in terms of revenue generation, if the Ministry of tourism could be independent.
The argument by the stakeholders was in tandem with the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu which promised to bolster up the youths by exploiting the immense potentials in the entertainment, culture, tourism and arts sectors, particularly for jobs creation.
Nigeria creative sector is no doubt a vibrant one with low hanging fruits for economic revival as well as a potential future oil for the country.
However, the appointment of Ms Hannatu Musawa as Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy was considered by stakeholders as a wrong footing for the take off, of the all important ministry because of her “baggage”.
In 2020, Buhari nominated Musawa for appointment as the national commissioner representing Nigeria’s northwest geopolitical zone on the board of the National Pension Commission (PENCOM).
Her appointment was rejected during confirmation hearing in the Senate because of her failure to provide evidence that she participated in the mandatory national youth service programme, after her graduation from the university.
When she was nominated as Minister by President Tinubu, she again resurfaced in the eye of the storm over the same scandal, before she was finally confirmed and sworn-in.
The “baggage”, according to stakeholders, has hindered the take off of any meaningful programmes and activities in the ministry, ever since she assumed office.
All that one can remember about her tenure so far is a lot of bluster to create 10 million jobs. Unfortunately, the only jobs she has created are the numerous Special Assistants and other aides that she brought to the office to supplant the relevant officials in the ministry. It is worth noting that these aides are mere upstarts who have nothing to contribute to making the creative economy a pillar of the country’s overall economic landscape.
In a related development, some stakeholders have expressed the opinion that the creation of a separate ministry for tourism was unnecessary and a wastage.
According to an insider, when the former ministry of information and culture was calibrated, the new ministry of tourism has only two directors and two agencies under it.
The two agencies of the ministry of tourism are, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation and National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism.
It was considered an aberration for a full fledged ministry, with a Minister, a permanent secretary, and directors, enjoying all paraphernalia of offices to be supervising only two agencies.
Besides, not much has been heard of Minister of Tourism, Ms Lola Ade John, over a year she has assumed office.
Industry stakeholders have therefore called on President Tinubu to merge the two ministries and appoint an experienced culture and tourism expert to manage its affairs for efficient delivery of the abundant potentials in the sector.
