NANTA Harps on Manpower Development

Chinedu Eze

The President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Bankole Bernard, has called for improved manpower development in the aviation sector.

He noted that considering the country’s population and the role aviation plays in the economy, there should be more skilled manpower in the sector.

Bernard who made this known in Lagos during the celebration of Mrs. Adeola Alade, who broke record as International Air Transport Association (IATA) best performer in March last year examination taken across 200 countries, said Nigeria needs to have more IATA certified training centres so that the country to enhance manpower development.

He commended Alade who attended IATA certified training centre, Lagos Aviation Academy (LAA) and said her success was as a result of hard work and dedication.

According to him, the Academy, which he is the Managing Director, was poised to bring out the best in anyone who showed dedication in his or her studies.

“I am happy that the best IATA performer came from this school. The school was a vision that came from pressure mounted by the global air transport body, which frowned at the fewer number of IATA certified training schools in Nigeria despite our huge population and urged us to establish more schools.

“We have only 10 of such schools and out of that 10, only three renews its certification regularly.

“This was what prompted me to establish this IATA training centre, but you know that to run a school is not cheap and if there is any gain that would accrue it comes in the long-term, but it gives me joy that I have provided a platform to shape the destiny of others,” he explained.
Bernard also lamented that travel agents are not given the respect due them.
According to him, travel agency is a professional job whose personnel provide critical service in the air transport sector. He said travel agencies contribute over N500 billion to the nation’s GDP.

“I happen to be the biggest travel agency in Nigeria but I contribute less than 10 per cent of the entire sales, which means that there are so many opportunities out there we can benefit from,” he said.

The IATA best performer, Mrs. Alade was rewarded with monetary gift and automatic employment by the NANTA President.