As part of moves to resolve the crisis rocking the activities of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), federal government has removed Mrs. Mariel Rae-Omoh, acting director-general of the agency and appointed Dr. Paul Adalikwu as the new acting DG.
In the announced changes, 15 senior officials, who were arbitrarily promoted in defiance of civil service rules, were equally demoted.
The ongoing restructuring of the corporation stemmed from the receipt of a petition by the presiding Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who immediately asked a committee to look into the crisis of confidence in agency.
Adalikwu is the third Acting DG after the removal of the immediate past Director General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Sally Mbanefo.
It would be recalled that Mrs. Mbanefo was removed on November 27, 2016 through a letter by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal.
Boniface Ebuka was appointed as Acting DG but replaced barely a month in office.
Additional details show that apart from error-ridden promotions, some of the problems in NTDC include recruitment of about 50 personnel without due process, certificate scandal, curious spending of over N600 million in the last two years, disappearance of N38.3 million financial assistance from some banks and conflict between the management of the corporation and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Service (AUPCTRE).
There is also the pending case of alleged mismanagement of N12 million for the launch of “Fascinating Nigeria”, blowing of N81.7 million on empowerment programme in 2013 and N38.5million in 2014.
More alleged misuse of include those of N52,014, 821 released to NTDC as capital budget from March to July 2014, the whereabouts of N342, 654,807 overhead budget from February-September 2014, curious withdrawal of N35million after SURE-P had organised and sponsored Tour Guide Training Programme and alleged spending of N14,720,000 on Notting Hill Carnival in 2013.
