The Abia Government, on Thursday, organised public hearing toward the formulation of a policy for regulating the hospitality sector in the state.
In a speech at the event in Umuahia, the Special Adviser to Gov. Alex Otti on Policies and Interventions, Rev. Fr. Christian Anokwuru, said that the policy focuses on enhancing security, increasing investment attractiveness and boosting revenue generation in the sector.
Anokwuru also said that the policy would serve as a roadmap for every business operating in the hospitality sector and emphasised the importance of complying with it.
He said: “The hospitality industry is the cornerstone of Abia’s economic development and cultural promotion.
“This comprehensive Policy on Regulation of Hospitality sector has been prepared to ensure that our hospitality sector operates at the highest standards of quality, safety and sustainability.
“This policy is a testament to our commitment to fostering a thriving, competitive and environmentally responsible hospitality industry that benefits our local communities
and attract visitors from around the globe.”
Anokwuru said that the government’s dedication to serving the public could be clearly seen in all its policies and development activities.
“We also envisage your continued support and collaboration in implementing and upholding the standards set forth in this policy,” he said.
In a speech, the General Manager of Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, Mr Ogbonnia Okereke, called for the inclusion of environmental regulation in the policy.
Okereke said: “All businesses in the hospitality industry are by law expected to comply with the environmental implications, which include obtaining environmental impact analysis report.
“This report is renewable every two years and payment of necessary environmental fees is important.”
Also, the State Chairman of the Nigerian Hotel Association, Mr Charles Ezeala, described the decision to evolve a regulatory policy as commendable.
Ezeala said that there was need to adapt the content of the policy to reflect the realities on ground, considering the current economic situation.
He said: “Most of us run hotels that charge less than $10 a night for lodging.
“This is a law that operates in climes where the rate for lodging per night is not below $30.
“We are still expected to use the limited resources we have to meet up with the demands of the law.
“Let us be mindful of the things that we do so that we don’t drive our members out of business.”
Ezeala appealed to the government to make the policy available to the business owners in the hospitality sector for proper study and deliberations on certain aspects of the policy.
A hotelier, Chief Cletus Ibeh, urged the government to always endeavour to include stakeholders in the process of evolving policies that concern the hospitality sector.
Ibeh said that the stakeholders in the hospitality industry were not against the policy, but desirous to have a policy that would take the concerns of stakeholders into consideration.
In a remark, a tourism practitioner, Mr Solomon Uwakwe, described the policy as a welcome development, saying that it focuses on enhancing security, grading and orderliness in the sector.
Uwakwe appealed to the government to include incentives, such as loans for duly registered hospitality businesses and tax holiday for serious minded investors.
He said: “The government should spice up policies like this.
“For example, in Lagos, there is something called ‘tourism loan’ that is open to people that have registered their businesses in the sector.
“It is important for the government because you are expected to submit your loan application with your personal income tax and registration documents before you will be granted the loan.
“Also, for instance, if you are building a five-star hotel, you can apply for tax holiday from the government.
“With things like this, an investor would be glad to invest in the sector.”
Responding to the observations made by the guests at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Tourism and Entertainment, Mr Martins Justice, commended the participants for attending the event.
Justice also said that their robust contributions and observations had been noted and that the government would take appropriate steps to address the issues raised at the hearing. (NAN)
