Adebayo Adenrele
The President, Hoteliers Association of Nigeria, Ekiti State Chapter, Stephen Abimbola has called on unregistered hotel owners and operators in the state to register with the association or face the full wrath of law.
Abimbola stated this on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti, shortly after the Ekiti State Government honoured its contingents for their achievements at the national Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) games held in Abuja.
Speaking with journalists, Abimbola emphasized on the need for a hotel register their business under the association and the Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism in order to get a legal certificate of operations.
He explained that this action is in line with the Tourism, Hospitality Licensing and Regulation Law of 2020, in order to avoid security breaches and other ugly experiences in hotels.
He urged all unregistered hotel owners to register with the association and Bureau of Tourism before August 2, 2025 or face consequences afterwards.
He also implored them to be wary of unscrupulous elements by putting all measures in place to safeguard lives and property of their clients.
The chairman used the opportunity to appreciate the state governor, Biodun Oyebanji for enforcing regulatory laws to control tourism and hospitality.
This according to him, would put Ekiti people in safe hands without panicking unnecessarily whenever they lodge in hotels.
His words, “I want to appreciate the governor of the state, Biodun Oyebanji, who has taken it up to ensure and enforce the regulatory law that controls tourism and hospitality.
“This law, Tourism, Hospitality Licensing and Regulation law of 2020 entails the provision for anyone that wants to run a hospitality firm, hospitality industry, an outlet, be it hotel, club, lounges, among others to register with the Bureau of Tourism in Ekiti state.
“The condition to register with the Bureau of Tourism in Ekiti state provides that the individual should be a member of the hoteliers association.
“We want to actually appreciate Mr Governor’s bold steps, in enforcing the regulatory law that brings people and compels them to be registered with the bureau and to follow all the conditions, which is to be a member of the association.
“The hotel association is partnering with the bureau of tourism development to ensure that every hotel owners and hotel operators are registered with the bureau and the requirement is that they should be a member of the association.
“This registration is crucial and very important for the following reasons. It’s a requirement for processing their certificate of operation as provided by the law. And the law says that if you do not get the certificate of operations, your premises could be sealed up because you are not expected to perform. If you set up a hotel within sixty days, you should process your certificate and your premises could be sealed up. Not only that, this registration is crucial in compliance of a legal authority to operate a hotel.
“If you are not registered with the bureau of tourism development, you are an illegal operator”.
