2 hours ago
2 ARTICLE AD
In line with Governor ‘Seyi Makinde’s commitment to expanding Oyo State’s economy through tourism and hospitality, the state government has expressed its readiness to clamp down on illegal and unregistered hotels and hospitality businesses.
The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Wasiu Olatunbosun, made this known at a press conference held at the ministry’s conference room, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, on Wednesday.
According to him, the ministry will collaborate with registered hospitality business owners, including hoteliers and security agencies, to rid the state of illegal and unregistered hotels, hospitality establishments, and tour agencies.
He explained that the initiative aims to improve the state’s internally generated revenue and reduce crimes associated with the tourism and hospitality sector.
These statements were contained in a release issued on Thursday by the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Olatunbosun noted that the influx of businesses into Oyo State was due to Governor Makinde’s infrastructure development drive and enhanced security measures. However, he emphasised that the government would not allow certain individuals to exploit the system.
He announced that the clampdown would begin next week, starting with awareness and sensitisation campaigns across all geopolitical zones of the state, followed immediately by enforcement, with serious penalties for offenders.
He said, “At the commencement of Governor Makinde’s second term, it was explicitly stated that the state’s economy would be driven by tourism for sustainable development. This followed the provision of all necessary infrastructure and facilities during Omituntun 1.0. This administration has laid a solid foundation for accelerated development, which has allowed tourism to thrive in Oyo State.
“The roads constructed to link various tourism corridors, as well as the dualised and rehabilitated inter-town and intra-town roads, have eased movement. Security agencies are well-funded and equipped with patrol vans, complemented by the recruitment of able-bodied personnel into the Oyo State Amotekun Corps. As a result, Oyo State is now among the most secure and peaceful states in Nigeria. Environmental sanitation has also significantly improved. Governor Makinde has successfully implemented these initiatives because he believes tourism must thrive in Oyo State.
“In addition, we revived night-time businesses through the Light-up Oyo project. Before this administration, night-time commerce was virtually non-existent, and it was difficult to drive at night. Now, night-time business has been restored, and Oyo State is regarded as one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria. The government has also adopted strategies to attract visitors, such as hosting various festivals and programmes, including the Iyake Festival at Ado Awaye, the World Twins Festival at Igbo-Ora, the World Sango Festival at Oyo, and the Ogbomoso Carnival, among others.
“As a result, there has been a significant increase in visitors to the state since the Governor’s second-term inauguration. A survey conducted by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Budget and Planning, and the Management Information Sector revealed that most hotels in the state are fully booked from Thursday evening to Monday morning. The survey also indicated a sharp rise in the number of nightclubs, event centres, and other hospitality ventures.
“Capturing unregistered businesses within our tax system will not only increase our internally generated revenue but will also create a safer and more organised environment. To this end, the Oyo State Ministry of Culture and Tourism, in collaboration with the Hoteliers Association of Nigeria (Oyo State Chapter), has finalised plans to launch a sensitisation and awareness campaign for nightclubs, event centres, and other hospitality businesses in the state. The Hoteliers Association has pledged its support for this initiative, and we appreciate their commitment to aligning with the state’s vision.”
The commissioner further stated that persistent tax evasion and the failure of businesses to provide adequate data had continued to hinder government planning and affected the effectiveness of security agencies due to a lack of accurate information.
Also speaking at the press conference, the Chairman of the Hoteliers Association in Oyo State, Otunba Ayodele Ogundele, urged hotel owners to cooperate with the state government to ensure the safety of citizens and businesses in the hospitality sector.
He added that the move would enhance information dissemination and encourage hoteliers to upgrade staff training and uphold professionalism to ensure proper visitor verification and accountability.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Government has expressed its readiness to clamp down on illegal and unregistered hotels and hospitality businesses.
This, the government said was in line with Makinde’s commitment to expand the economy of the state through the sector.
Olatunbosun, made this known at a press conference, held in Ibadan, the state capital on Thursday.
Olatunbosun said the ministry would work with registered hospitality business owners such as hoteliers and security agencies to rid the state of illegal and unregistered hotels, hospitality establishments and tour agencies.
He explained that “the effort was geared towards improving the state’s internally generated revenue and reducing crimes associated with the tourism and hospitality sector.”
The commissioner lamented that there has been an influx of businesses into the state due to Makinde’s infrastructure development drive and the security architecture he put in place in the state.
“The clamp-down process will begin next week with the creation of awareness and sensitisation across all geopolitical zones of the state, after which enforcement will follow immediately, with serious penalties for offenders. At the commencement of the second term administration of Makinde, it was explicitly stated that the economy of the state would be driven by tourism for sustainable development.
“This was sequel to the provision of all necessary infrastructure and facilities during the Omituntun 1.0. What that implies is that this administration has laid a solid foundation for accelerated development. That is what has made tourism thrive in the state.
“The roads we have constructed to link all the tourism corridors together, the inter-towns and intra-town roads are also dualised and rehabilitated to ease movement. Security agencies are well-funded and supported with the procurement of patrol vans and complemented by the massive recruitment of able-bodied men and women into the state of Amotekun,” he stated.
He stated, “This has made the state to be among the most secure and peaceful states in Nigeria. There is also a great improvement in environmental sanitation. Makinde succeeded in doing all of these for the state because he believed that tourism must thrive in the state.
“Apart from these, we revived night businesses in the state through the Light-up Oyo. You will recollect that there was nothing like night business before this administration came in. It was very difficult even to drive at night. So, this government has revived night business in the state.
“Nobody would like to come to a place that is not safe. So, because of the commitment of the governor, the state has been rated as one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria. Thursday evening till Monday morning. The survey also indicated that there is an astronomical increase in the number of nightclubs, event centres and other hospitality ventures in the state.”
