Imo State government will soon blacklist most hotels that do not confirm to international tourism standard.
Addressing members of National Union of Hotels and Personal Services Workers, NUHPSW last Wednesday during their National Executive Council Meeting at Imo Concorde Hotel, Owerri, the state governor, Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha said there will be thorough inspection of every hotel in the state to ascertain their standards.
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Urging the union to address issues of corruption and security in their NEC meeting, Okorocha who is a member of the union made it clear that hotel managements are the best bets for curbing criminality because most criminals stay in the hotels.
Many hotels, he maintained have become havens for criminals and urged the union to step up their act in disciplining members who harbor criminals.
Lamenting the poor standards prevalent in the tourism industry, he noted that some hotels have fallen far below standard, adding that a hotel ought to be a home away from home.
We are going to visit hotels in the state to ascertain their socio-hygienic standard and those operating below known standard would be closed down, he cautioned.
Hotels ought to be better than homes, he noted even as he lamented that some workers in hotels have constituted nuisance by begging alms from, guests and pilfering from clients.
The governor encouraged the union to find ways of stopping corruption among staff of the industry who sometimes short change the clients and equally encouraged them to introduce the Nigerian culture into tourism especially hotel management.
Such introduction, he noted can be by way of using local fabrics as service staff uniforms and introducing clay pots, wooden spoons/forks and bamboos for raising structures as the Indians, Chinese and Koreans do and also local menu or dishes.
Gov. Okorocha suggested to the hotel union to encourage their members to partner with Imo State College of Advanced Professional Studies, ICAPS in Owerri in training their service staff.
The governor urged them to take good care of their staff by ensuring quality welfare for them to give them some confidence at their job, even as he suggested that redundant staff should be sacked.
Earlier in his address, the national president of NUHPSW, Comrade Leke Success had lauded the governor for all the achievements he has attained, especially in Imo Concorde hotel, where extensive renovations had taken place, including Oguta Motel, Imo Hotel, Bongo Square and construction of five star hotels in Orlu and Okigwe.
Comrade Leke also saluted members and staff of the union for their unflinching loyalty and commitment to the course of the organization inspite of daunting challenges.
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Credit, www.nigerianewspoint.com
