Lagos May Shut 2,650 Hotels Over Failure To Register
Jeremiah Kusoro
Lagos state commissioner for Tourism and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr Disu Holloway has revealed that about 2, 650 hotels, restaurants and others in Lagos State may be shut down by the government over inability to fulfill their registration obligations.
Holloway said this at a ministerial press briefing held at Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja to mark the seventh year in office of Governor Babatunde Fashola.
The commissioner lamented that the action of the affected people is unacceptable, adding that officials of the ministry would soon be deployed to sanction defaulting hotels and restaurants operating illegally in the state.
“It will be recalled that the Supreme Court on July 19th, 2013 granted respective States the right to pass
legislation in respect of the licensing and grading of hotels and to implement same.”
The commissioner said that out of the no fewer than 3,000 hotels operating in the state, only 350 had fulfilled their registration requirement.
“The law is very clear on this issue. It says hotels, restaurants and others must register. It has security implication to it. We need to know where the hotels are located, their number, the facilities available in each of the hotels and other important things.
“So far, only 350 hotels out of the 3000 we have identified have registered. We will soon begin to shut defaulting establishments. The law must be complied with. “he also stated that the state government had commenced the grading and classification of hotels to
reposition the hospitality sector and promote standards.
“50 hotels had so far been fully classified,” adding that some more were still undergoing the process of classification”.
The commissioner said the state government was working with private sector to establish beach resorts and improve the parks in the state. He noted that the government had concessioned the Apapa Amusement Park to a private operator as a step to revive the park.
“The Concessionaire has commenced work and we expect that the first phase of the project will be open to the public by December this year.”
While speaking on the resorts, he noted that the state government has concluded plans to establish Ilase Beach Resort and would be located between Takwa Bay and Badagry to enhance the state’s tourism appeal.
According to Holloway, “The beach resort will be on a parcel of land measuring 13.4 hectares and located in the Ilashe Peninsular near Badagry. It is believed that the resort will, upon completion become an international
conferencing centre, a location for domestic workshops and retreats.”
The commissioner said the various projects under the Badagry Tourism Development Project would soon be delivered .
According to him, some of the projects that have reached over 90 per cent completion stage including a museum at Vlekete slave market and District Officer’s Residence.
He said the delivery of the projects would enhance the tourism development of Badagry and promote the economy of the ancient city.
The tourism commissioner stated that the government was partnering stakeholders in the creative industry to protect and promote intellectual properties.
