2 weeks in Dubai does not replace 20 months in Nigeria – Expert

…..Seeks partnership with Tinapa, Obudu Ranch Resort
A Stakeholder in the Nigerian’s tourism sector has warned that except Nigeria imbibes the culture of maintenance, the country will not compete effectively with advanced countries like US, UK, Dubai amongst others

Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AGE Facility Management, Mr. Alex Ejiogu has observed that two weeks in Dubai cannot replace 20 months spent in Nigeria due to the fact that both environments differ in terms of comfort and relaxation.

Ejiougu who attributed maintenance culture to the disparity in tourism experience between Dubai and Nigeria advised that going to overseas to spent time in a nice environment only to come back home in a less attractive environment is not the best.

He therefore, advised Nigerians to imbibe the culture of maintaining their environments just as he advised that a partnership with major tourism destinations in the country would also help boost tourism and turn the destinations to international choice areas.

Mr Ejiogu who disclosed this in Lagos during a chat with The Daily Times recently pointed out that his company-AGE can help boost tourism in Nigeria through facility management.

To achieve this, he disclosed that his firm is already seeking for services in Nigeria and that he is planning to go into talks with major tourists’ destinations such as Tinapa, Obudu Cattle Ranch amongst others to find out ways to enhance their environments.

He said that AGE has the capacity to module their module their environment in such a way that the local tourists sites will begin to mirror the ones in Dubai and other advanced countries.

He said Let them understand those things that are been done in those countries are paid for; there is a budget for it.

They should understand that life is too short, if your environment is not sound, there is no point having a luxurious outside and having a poor condition in your bed room.

So the quality of life is the subject of what one makes out of his or her environment. So environmental concern and ability to live right is something we can always see as a priority.

Forget about spending money on things like that. Two weeks in Dubai does not replace 20 months in Nigeria. So it is better to look at where one spends much of your time and think on how you make it comfortable.

“So it is important that professional companies like AGE are taken to such places to make sure that they mirror the service levels that are being offered there; come back here and offer it to places like Tinapa.

With such moves, everything will be available in Nigeria, not just because of the location, not because of the cleanliness but just because of the services. That is how tourism can only be improved.

However, that can only be achievable if companies like AGE are engaged by these numerous tourists sites. We focus our attention on to detail that drives a mirror to international standard in services provision”.

AGE can demonstrate that what is achievable in Dubai, achievable in UK and US will also be achievable in Nigeria. Therefore AGE has the right kind of skills to make sure that they get the best of their facility right.

We have references on what AGE has done at the international levels. So it is a question of getting the right people that get the right type of priorities, that got the type of passion of what they want to do in their country and AGE will help them in alliance partnership to achieve that.

Ejiogu who is also the Managing Director, Clarion Logistics Limited advised Nigerians that they can equally get what they are getting in Dubai, US and UK if only they can maintain their facilities.

Advising those who develop buildings without proper maintenance, facility manager said Nigerian is one of those countries that don’t seem to have maintenance culture and Nigerians travel quite a lot.

They go all these prestigious countries like UK, Dubai, US and stay in a very hotels. However, when they come back they learn that their own country’s similar projects may have spent about the same money to do them, develop them but they are not being maintained.

It is like saying to them that we spend all these money in developing similar structures but we don’t have the strategy of maintaining them.

We should however, have it at the back of our mind that the bedrock of those prestigious building in Dubai, US, UK is maintenance and that is why they remain what they are, why they remain five star, six star and 7 star.

QUOTE
“Two weeks in Dubai does not replace 20 months in Nigeria. So it is better to look at where one spends much of your time and think on how you make it comfortable”.

Ebere Chibuzor