Paul Adalikwu: Transforming Nigeria’s tourism landscape

Few weeks ago, Dr. Paul Adalikwu was appointed as the new Acting Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC).

His appointment ushered the exit of the former acting NTDC DG, Mrs. Mariel Rae-Omoh

Adalikwu is the third Acting D-G after the removal of the immediate past Director General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Sally Mbanefo.

Mbanefo was removed on November 27, 2016 through a letter by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal.

Boniface Eboka was appointed as Acting DG but replaced less than a month in office.

The ongoing restructuring also saw 15 senior officials, who were reportedly promoted against civil service rules, demoted.

The demotion and Adalikwu’s appointment followed the receipt of a petition, which Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, mandated a committee to look into.

With Adalikwu’s entrance into the system, industry watchers have opined that the Corporation would experience positive changes, judging from his wealth of experience in the tourism sector.

Dr. Paul Adalikwu, a member of the Institute of Tourism Practitioners (ITP), who hails from Obudu in Cross River State holds a Ph.D in Public Administration and Management from Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.

He has expertise that spans through Tourism Planning, Policy Development; Management Development and Training; Budget Planning and Implementation; Strategic Planning and several other areas that will help propel the growth and development of the tourism industry in Nigeria. His track record in Tourism and Public Administration dates back to1991 when he was a Senior Research and Planning Analyst at the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, before his return to Nigeria, and joined the Cross River State Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning as Director, Planning, Research and Statistics.

He was at various times visiting/adjunct professor to various universities, including Metropolitan University, Minnesota, USA; Tamkang University Taipei, Taiwan, amongst others. Before fully returning to Nigeria in 2003, he worked for the State of Minnesota, USA as LEP Manager in the State’s Department of Human Services. Between 2004 and 2008, he was the Vice Chairman, Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) USAID, funded Opportunities Industrialization Center International (OICI), Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Jobs (JOBS),Nigeria Programme, Calabar (CRS).

Dr Adalikwu has held several positions driving tourism in Nigeria as General Manager, Administration and Strategy, Cross River State Tourism Bureau; Director, Administration and Human Resources Management (HRM), Cross River State; Permanent Secretary, O=ce of the Governor, Cross River State; Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation ;Deputy Director, Department of Tourism, Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Abuja; Director, Domestic and Eco-
Tourism Promotion Control Department, Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation; Director, Int’l Tourism Promotion and Cooperation Department, FMCT; Director, Programme Implementation Unit (PIU), (SURE-P), Federal Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation. Before his current appointment, he was the Director, Policy Analysis, Research and Statistics (PRS), Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity before moving to the Federal Ministry of Water Resources also as Director, PRS from where he was appointed as the Acting Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC).