Grossly Incompetent & Not Fit To Hold Public Office’’ Travel Agencies National Association Head, Bankole Bernard Comes Hard & Fast On Lagos Commissioner For Tourism Adebimpe Akinsola

A Raging fight is on.

And it has two major players in the tourism industry as gladiators.

There is the President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mr Bankole Bernard and Lagos state Commissioner for Tourism Adebimpe Akinsola on either side.

And at stake is the issue of respect and integrity.

Bernard is alleging the Lagos commissioner purposely set out to humiliate and disgrace his association – in spite of pedigree as a major stakeholder in tourism industry.

Bernard’s grouse stemmed from claims the Lagos Tourism Commissioner invited the association of travel trade practitioners in Nigeria to a meeting in her office on Friday June 30 2017.

And refused to meet with the association despite confirmation she was on seat.

“Akinsola’s attitude was insulting to NANTA, as she was in the office at the time of the visit. We don’t want to know what she is up to and why she could not have called to inform us earlier that she cannot receive us. NANTA seeks no political patronage but it is known to contribute to development of Lagos and Nigerian tourism. We partnered with Folarin Coker effectively when he was in office to deliver Lagos tourism agenda and wonders’’ Bernard stated in a report sourced from online platform, abelnewsng.

According to the news platform “Mr Bankole Bernard has described the Lagos Commissioner for Tourism, Mrs Adebimpe Akinsola as grossly incompetent and not fit to hold public office in a state such as Lagos, where the best brains are needed to generate and sustain social and economic values that drives development.”

Obviously irked by what transpired the NANTA president further wondered “How can a public officer with a sense of history and respect for growing private sector participation in tourism development in Lagos brazenly and openly take actions to humiliate an organisation to which she wrote to invite to meet with her and later turned around in same breath to insult their presence?”

Further revelation in the report has it that the travel agencies association president advised State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to “look elsewhere for a competent, respectful and culturally minded Lagosian to run the ministry”

And a declaration that indicates the association has chosen to go on the war path with the Lagos Commissioner, Bernard reportedly declared “Akinsola’s deliberate attempt to humiliate NANTA leadership is like touching a tiger’s tail.”