President of Webisco International Federation of Women Entrepreneur and Tourism in Nigeria, Chief Magaret Fabiyi, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to appoint politicians to head tourism parastatals.

Fabiyi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja said that it would be a retrogressive step to appoint politicians as head of tourism parastatals.

"This has been the trend over the years; and such appointments have contributed in truncating the development of tourism in the country.

"President Buhari should appoint people with proven experience in tourism development and who have the will to effect positive change toward the development of the sector.

"Aside appointing the right persons to man the tourism parastatals, enabling environment and adequate funds should be provided to aid private sector participation," Fabiyi said.

She urged the Federal Government to collaborate with the press to identify "people of proven capability to be appointed as heads of the parastatals".

According to her, an individual must not be in politics to help the government to develop tourism in the country.

She noted that there were a lot of Nigerians who were not politicians but had been in the business of tourism for many years.

"These are the type of people that the Federal Government can appoint to man the parastatals; such people will change Nigerian tourism for the better."