NTDC Starts Biometric Registration of Hotel Workers

By The Citizen

The Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation in collaboration with a private security firm has officially commenced the registration of staff working in all hotels across Nigeria.

The commencement of registration, which is to ensure maximum security in hospitality outfits was revealed during the signing of agreement between NTDC and Orbit Technologies and Investment Limited in a ceremony held during the week at the Tourism Village, Abuja.

Speaking during the event, the Director-General of NTDC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, stated that the official take off of the process signals a new dispensation in making sure that only genuine people work in hotels while ensuring the total security of tourists and visitors to the country.

Runsewe noted that it was imperative to integrate every staff working in the hospitality industry in a single database, which will be monitored by NTDC as a way of checking the movement of fraudulent people within the industry.

He emphasized the need to maintain a viable database to encourage foreign direct investment in the hospitality sector as this was in line with international standards.

On his part, Mr. Yakubu Ochefu, Chief Executive Director of Orbit Technologies, observed that the essence of the move is to track and trace staff moving about the hospitality industry in a bid to checkmate vices and criminal activities.

Ochefu lauded the initiative as a successful public private partnership driven by the NTDC boss in his efforts at repositioning tourism explaining that the pilot phase of the project will commence in Abuja with the hope of incorporating other parts of the country before the year runs out.

He also commended Runsewe for embracing technology in the pursuit of his mandate aimed at promoting and developing tourism in Nigeria.