Legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Kemi Pinheiro (OFR) says the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) must grow its strategic presence in the emerging travel sector in Nigeria by being law centric.
The cerebral senior wig urged NANTA to reappraise the association’s relationships with her members, the travelling public, and the government, noting that an unblemished reputation should be the driving force for the biggest travel trade body to birth new changes at the edge of a new dawn for the travel sector in Nigeria nay Africa.
Dr kemi Pinheiro who is an accomplished orator and humour merchant, outlined other focal interventions to the new NANTA leadership such as the establishment and birth forth of an African version of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and a NANTA inspired advocacy to engage fairplay in the market. He applauded NANTA’s direction for a ‘Nigeria centred Agenda’ and fairplay.
According to Dr. Pinheiro, NANTA has done well and is transformational in making significant impacts to ease the pains and anxieties of the travelling public, providing expertise and knowledge that serve as a reliable guide to cost effective service in the industry.
The legal icon in a brief welcome address to the NANTA new executive council led by the President, Mr Yinka Folami (in company with Dr. Tokunbo Dagunduro – 2nd Deputy President, Yinka Ladipo – Nstional Financial Secretary, Mrs Lola Adewole – National PRO, Yinka Olapade – VP Lagos Zone, and Stanley Diagi – Chief Administrative Officer), on courtesy visit to appreciate the support and guidance of the Pinheiro LP legal firm, noted that the role of NANTA in the aviation industry, particularly the impact made so far to ease the burden of Nigerian travellers cannot be ignored and overemphasised.
“Remarkably, I do align myself with NANTA vision and mission statements, which are to be “Africa’s most trusted association of travel practitioners” and “Promoting integrity and professionalism in the travel sector for quality service delivery” respectively and I believe these are very much achievable ” Dr Pinheiro further stated.
The visit which witnessed the representation of Pinheiro LP partners (Adebowale Kamoru, Chukwudi Enebeli, Bolu Agbaje-Akadri, and Mrs. Ronke Fapohunda), took to a strategic reappraisal of the NANTA entire structural ecosystem, and to which the senior legal silk advised must be scaled up to grow NANTA into a body of repute standing resplendent in a world class affirmation.
“To achieve this, we believe that we must sustain a growth mindset to believe that there is more that we can do,” Dr Pinheiro reinforced, calling out the new NANTA President Mr Yinka Folami to inaugurate a new culture of perpetual excellence in NANTA not only as a brand but as a legacy.
“As a matter of necessity, I commend the exemplary service of the immediate past president of NANTA Mrs Susan Akporiaye, and her team for such an extraordinary tenure in office. She is just unputdownable, ” Dr Pinheiro explained
Speaking earlier, NANTA President Mr Yinka Folami traced the relationship between NANTA and Dr. Pinheiro to a difficult period in the life of the association when the industry seemed lost in the heated controversy of foreign airlines restrictions on trade ecosystem and to which Dr Pinheiro provided legal assistance probono to the association.
“We came to thank you for all you did to guide us, advanced and opened gates that linked us with helpful contacts and interventions which led to finding solutions to those tough times” he explained, adding that his leadership will stay strong on sustaining the legacy of the immediate past administration to which he played a critical part in the success.
“We need you to help us sustain those legacies, and we are convinced that we can only achieve more in NANTA if we reappraise our structures, and strengthen our constitution, codes of business ethics and codes of professional conduct. Without which we can not embrace certain expectations and challenges in the future.
“My administration seeks your continued support to build an all-inclusive but critical industry intelligence driven NANTA, to which we are glad to still have, in our Executive Council, the irrepressible immediate past president, Mrs Susan Akporiaye. We thank you, sir, for all you do for NANTA and for Nigeria Travel and Tourism economy. We hope you are not tired of seeing us from time to time as we intend to flourish on the side of the law in doing our business, ” NANTA president reiterated.
Dr. Kemi Pinheiro (OFR, SAN), in a closing remark and on behalf of his firm, reconfirmed their readiness to provide legal advisory and representation for NANTA.
