Buhari Relieves Sally Mbanefo of NTDC DG’s Post

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Mrs. Sally Mbanefo has been sacked as the Director General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC).

Her removal was transmitted via a memo signed on November 27 by the Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF) , David Babachir Lawal.
Mbanefo had on Tuesday presided over her last official engagement, when she addressed tourism stakeholders at the Nigerian Tourism Investment Forum and Exhibition, held at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.
The forum was attended by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and the Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mrs. Samia Zekaria, among other dignitaries.

The theme of the forum was: “Tourism: A tool for Economic Recovery and Development.”

Her disengagement letter which Lawal signed, directed Mbanefo to hand over the running of the corporation to the most senior officer by yesterday.

The memo was titled: ‘Notification of de-secondment from NTDC.
It read: “I refer to the attached letter, Ref. No. SGF.6/S.23/1/568 of 8th October 2013 in respect of your secondment from the Keystone Bank Limited to serve as Executive Director/ Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) for a period of two years with effect from May 6, 2013.

“You may note from the foregoing that the period of your secondment at the corporation had since lapsed on May 5, 2016.

“Consequently, you are to handover the affairs of the corporation to the most senior officer on or before Wednesday, November 30, 2016.”

Mbanefo was appointed on May 13, 2013 by former President Goodluck Jonathan, following the removal of Olusegun Runsewe, who occupied the seat for about six year.

But her tenure was marred by occasional running disputes with workers of the agency over staff welfare package and unpaid benefits.