Nigeria lost the hosting rights to Canada.

The failure of Nigeria to secure the hosting right for the 2013 women’s conference of the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association might be because of insecurity, the president of the Nigerian chapter of the association, Jean Chiazor-Anishere, has said.

Nigeria had showed interest in hosting the conference in 2013 but lost the rights to Canada.

Mrs. Chiazor-Anishere said the votes were against Nigeria because some foreign members of the association envisaged that their governments might not give them the insurance to come to Nigeria.

“I can only say that the votes were against us, but I could only speculate that we lost because of the  security issues in Nigeria because approaching other members – U.S., Greeks –  we were told that the government might not give them insurance should we win.

“You can imagine having to host the world here in Lagos and you just have about two countries or three countries participating in international conference. That would be the poorest attendance. I think we lost because of that. We are not giving up. We believe that winners don’t quit and quitters never win and in that slogan, we will continue,” she said.

The association president urged the Federal Government to support its bid to host the global association in 2015. She said that Nigeria might have to contest against China for the 2015 hosting right.

“2015 is open. 2014 has been taken by Cyprus. China and Cyprus made presentations, bidded and China lost to Cyprus against 2014. So, all roads will lead to Cyprus in 2014 and we have 2015 that is open.

“I know that china is making proposal to make another bid for 2015 and Nigeria is looking at 2015 as well. I might not be the President of WISTA Nigeria that time but should my predecessors (successors) want to take another bold step, I will still be a member of WISTA Nigeria and I will give all support to ensure that we do win the bid,” she said.

Mrs. Chiazor-Anishere said that for Nigeria to bid for another hosting, it would have to start planning from now.

She pleaded with government to appreciate the efforts being made by the association, adding that the minister of transport, who was among the Advisory Council of the association, had been supporting the association tremendously.

WISTA has chapters in 28 countries including Nigeria is one of the countries.

NAN