Lagos to Sanction 2, 650 Hotels

Lagos State Government said on Friday that it may have to wield the big stick by sanctioning over 2,650 hotels and restaurants in the state.

Commissioner for Tourism and Inter-Governmental Relations Disun Holloway made the revelation in Lagos. He said out of the over 3,000 hotels and restaurants operating in the state only 350 had fulfilled their registration requirements.
He said the situation is unacceptable, officials of the ministry would soon be deployed to sanction defaulting hotels and restaurants operating illegally in the state.

“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 300 hotels out of the 3000 we have identified have registered. We will soon begin to shut defaulting establishments. The law must be complied with”.

The commissioner said that the government had commenced the grading and classification of hotels to reposition the hospitality sector and promote standards. Holloway added that 50 hotels had so far been fully classified, while some others were still undergoing the process of classification.

He explained that government initiated moves to partner the private sector to establish beach resorts. Holloway also revealed that the government was partnering stakeholders in the creative industry to protect and promote intellectual properties.

He pointed out that no fewer than 36 persons had been arrested by the state’s Anti-Piracy Enforcement Team for piracy and other copyright violations.

The commissioner added that the government was expanding its focus to Alaba, Ladipo and other flash points to apprehend violators of its copyright laws.