2,650 hotels and restaurants risk being shut down by Lagos govt.

The Lagos State Government on Friday announced that it may shut 2, 650 hotels, restaurants and others in the state, over inability to fulfill their registration obligation.

The state government however said no fewer than 36 persons had been arrested by the state’s Anti-Piracy Enforcement Team for piracy and other copyrights violations, saying “the government was spreading its tentacles to all the flash points in the state to get more violators.”

Commissioner for Tourism and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr Disun Holloway disclosed this at a ministerial press briefing held in Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja to mark the seventh year in office of Governor Babatunde Fashola.

Holloway lamented that the situation is unacceptable; 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.

According to him, “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 said.

Holloway 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.

Holloway said the state government was working with private sector to establish beach resorts and improve the parks in the state.The commissioner said that the government had concessioned the Apapa Amusement Park to a private operator as a step to revive the park, adding “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 13.4hectres 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 include 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 commissioner stated that the government was partnering stakeholders in the creative industry to protect and promote intellectual properties.

– Vanguard