By Oluwaseyi Oduneye-Ogunwomoju
The Hoteliers Association, Oyo State Chapter, has thrown its weight behind the forthcoming ‘Vibing December’ initiative by the state government.
They described it as a commendable initiative that would significantly enhance the state’s festive atmosphere while also stimulating the local economy.
The President of the association, Mr Ayodele Ogundele, at a news conference on Tuesday in Ibadan, said the programme would help put the state strategically on the map as a tourist destination in December.
Ogundele said that many hotels and apartments in the state would offer a 10 per cent discount on lodging to encourage increased patronage.
He commended Gov. Seyi Makinde for his administration’s impressive investments in road networks and other infrastructures across the state.
“The improved roads networks have significantly eased movement for residents and visitors thereby encouraging the surge in hotels and apartments,” he said.
He, however, said that to strengthen the success of the event, hotel owners should embark on individual and collective publicity efforts, including placing banners and adverts to promote the ‘Vibing December’.
On security, Ogundele assured that the state government had put adequate measures in place, but called on hoteliers to intensify internal surveillance to curb criminals activities within their facilities.
He said the association was deeply concerned about what he described as the multiple and exploitative taxes currently imposed on hospitality businesses in the state
“Hoteliers have increasingly become targets of consultants of all sorts, including non-state actors who allegedly hide under government authority to extort hotel operators.
“Even the taxes that are mandatory have become exploitative. We are being targeted by individuals claiming to be working for the government.
“Some even go as far as carrying padlocks and chains to lock up hotels,” he said.
Ogundele lamented the imposition of emission taxes on generators used by hotels, saying operators resort to alternative power because public electricity remains unreliable.
He appealed to the state government to urgently address the challenge of multiple taxation.
“We pay emission tax on the generator we use. It’s not our wish to use generators. If government provides stable electricity, we won’t need them.
“I recalled that the government introduced a harmonised tax system during its first term, a system that gave hoteliers clarity and reduced arbitrary charges.
“When the Seyi Makinde administration came in, they gave us harmonised taxes, and we knew what we were paying on a single document.
“What we have now is arbitrary and a form of extortion,” he said.
Ogundele urged the government to ensure that the proposed new tax law genuinely addresses the concerns of the hospitality industry and restores order to the revenue collection process. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Yetunde Fatungase
