Published By Cliffsimon Akalonu
The Kano state governor, Alhaji Abdulahi Umaru Ganduje, has emerged National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) Governor of the Year Awardee, for building strong hold support base on tourism infrastructure and providing effective security architecture.
Governor Ganduje, is the first recipient of the Nanta Governor of the Year diadem, walked tall above other governors in Nigeria, polled in this category for creating an enabling environment for the growth of cultural tourism economy in the ancient city of Kano, through the provision of infrastructure and security, key pivots which drives destination visits and investments.
Receiving a powerful delegation from NANTA who stormed the Executive Chambers of Kano state Government House, on Wednesday, the highly elated governor Ganduje, informed that he has turned around the facilities at Kano International Airport, with the desire of providing the best air services operations, which will make Kano airport attractive to international carriers and further boast trade and tourism services in the ancient city, known as the center and hub of sub Saharan trade route in Africa.
“We consulted Emirate airlines and they worked with us to upgrade the Kano airport but for covid 19 and the ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve Emirate airlines flight issues to Nigeria, the airline would have been operating out of Kano by now. ” That is to show how serious we are here about making Kano a competitive destination” the governor explained.
On infrastructures that aid tourism, governor Ganduje reiterate that roads are critical to the movement of goods and persons, a development that made him to find a way to eliminate bottle necks to vehicle movement in the highly populated city through construction of fly over bridges and bye passes which brought relieve to road users and made the tour of the city very attractive to the growth of cultural tourism offerings of the state.
The visibly excited Nanta best governor of the year awardee further explained that, this award of excellence from Nanta is most welcome and evident of the true benefits of what we have done here.
“Ganduje thanked Nanta and assured of his presence to receive the Nanta EMINENT Persons Award”, slated for Friday, November 12th, 2021, at the international Conference Center Abuja.
Governor Ganduje disclosed that he is overwhelmed by his choice as the best governor, with supportive infrastructure architecture which promotes tourism economy, adding that his administration will partner with the association to mainstream and sustain tourism values that will boast job openings for the people and encourage cultural promotion of the state.
Earlier before the presentation of the Nanta EMINENT Persons Award Nomination certificate to governor Ganduje, Mr Yinka Folami, Vice President Nanta, who stood in for Mrs Susan Akporiaye, the National President of Nanta, said infrastructural development in Kano under the administration of governor Ganduje cannot be overemphasized, adding that the essence of such focal attention, helps encourage the business of travel and tourism trade which impacts positively on the livelihood of majority of Nanta members and Nigerians at large.
“Your Excellency, your achievements resonates with us as an association and we felt you deserve our encouragement and support by the way of this award of excellence which is not driven by any pecuniary interest but out of strong resolve to discover and recognize leaders at the behest of building a new tourism Nigeria. Mr Folami noted.”
Folami added that ” We are not living in denial of our security challenges but we doff our heart to a governor who has beyond measure, proven that in Nigeria, a cosmopolitan state such as Kano can really lead in performance and verifiable developmental milestones, and that peace can be sustained which is possible, with cultural tourism a focal Economic reality.”
