Again, Imo hoteliers lament gloomy business environment
By Saby Elemba, in Owerri
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May embark on retrenchment
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Some hotels placed on lease /sale
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Beckons on Uzodinma to halt retrenchment
As the operating business environment becomes gloomier, the Nigerian Hotel Association (NHA) Imo Chapter, has once again lamented over the worsening and deplorable operating conditions of hotels in the state, lamenting that the industry which is the second largest employer of labour after the state government with immeasurably contributions to the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) is now in a state of coma.
The association, through Chima Chukwunyere, the chief servant of the association, reeled out the rough roads the industry is operating on in recent times, and said, “when Niger Delta, Abia, Anambra, and Enugu States became unsafe because of high level of insecurity, Imo was seen as a safe heaven and the hotel industry began to boom in Imo, which attracted investors from all over the world who came and invested in the industry which made Imo State a hub of tourism in Nigeria.
“Today, the industry is in a coma and on life support, and if the government does not hasten to revive the dying industry, it is likely to pack up in this time and season under the watch of his Excellency, the governor of Imo State, and this will throw thousands of Imolites back to the labour market and criminality will obviously increase,” said Chukwunyere.
He disclosed that some hotels have been placed on lease, some are now for outright sale while others have been shut down because of insecurity, erratic power supply, and high cost of diesel, which had made the hotel sector “impossible to thrive.”
Chukwunyere lamented during the inauguration of the new executive of the Imo State Hoteliers (ISHA) as part of the Nigerian Hotels Association (NHA), Imo Chapter, in Owerri. He said as soon as it was inaugurated the name changed to Nigerian Hotels Association, Imo Chapter.
But Chukwunyere commended governor Hope Uzodinma for his prompt intervention and stoppage of the illegal activities of revenue consultants/touts conniving with some dishonest staff of the judiciary to garnishe their accounts illegally and equally threatening to shut down all hotels in the state.
He passionately pleaded with the governor to engage captains of the hotel industry in the state in a round table discussion, assuring that this would be the only remedy to revive and sustain the industry already lying comatose.
During the inauguration, Eze Patrick Anyanwu stated that the once booming industry in Imo State might be driven to extinction resulting in thousands of youths being thrown into the already saturated labour market and upsurge of criminality if the government fails to do something urgently to avert the danger seen in the ailing subsector of the economy.
He assured that the national body would do its best to protect the interest of the members of the association in Imo State and equally stand on their behalf against illegal tax and levies by the state government.
But he advised the hoteliers to ensure regular payment of their dues and levies, adding that every hotel in the state should be registered in the national body of the association to enjoy its benefits.
Uche Ohia, the state commissioner for tourism, culture and creative arts, described the hotel as the soul of the hospitality industry in the state, stating that the collapse of the industry would inevitably lead to the collapse of the state economy hence the hotel sector must be protected at all costs.
He disclosed the government’s stand to remain firm and resolute in its determination to provide conducive environment for the operation, promotion and sustenance of the hotel industry in the state, and informed that government has put measures in place to create community tourism which he stated would enable communities in the state to partner with the government.
He commended the association for appreciating the efforts of governor Uzodinma and beckoned on the association also to encourage its members to remain in business and gave an assurance that this would be sustained.