The Lagos State Government has intended to take a hard stance on unregistered hotels, restaurants and tourism establishments due to their non-compliance with the Supreme Court’s judgement.
The Supreme Court had ruled that only states had the power to regulate activities of hotels, restaurants, event centres and other establishments in the hospitality industry. Therefore, the government had declared zero tolerance for hotels and others that refused to register their facilities with the state government.
The Government decried more than 3,000 hotels, restaurants and others in the hospitality industry were yet to register with the state government before doing businesses in the state. The annual registration fee for hotel is N250,000.
At least 25 hotels and restaurants have received notifications urging them to comply with government’s directive to register their business outfit or risk closure.
The Officials of the Ministry of Tourism and Intergovernmental Relations began enforcement of the law in Victoria Island, Lagos, serving defaulting hotels and restaurants notices on September 25, 2013, Wednesday.
Some of the facilities that have been served default notices in Victoria Island are Jade Palace, Steers Real Burger, the Yellow Chilli, Bonza Restaurant Café Bunbeanos and Paris Deli Restaurant Café Bakery.
The government lamented that only 25 percent of hotels, restaurants and others had registered with the government and vowed that it would ensure 100 percent compliance before the end of December, 2013.
Ms. Aduke Gomez, the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Hotel Licensing Authority, said the law provides that any establishment operating in Lagos State without license from the state was operating illegally, adding that refusal to register would attract the wrath of the law.
