May 20, (THEWILL)- Mrs Funmi Kazeem, Hotel Owners Forum Abuja (HOFA) president, has called on the Federal Government to address the issue faced by the hospitality industry with the utmost attention.
Mrs Kazeem disclosed this over the weekend and urged the regulatory authorities to reconsider the 300 percent tariff increase for Band A Customers.
According to her, the concerned authorities should adopt a friendly approach to achieving alternative solutions that could correspond to the need for revenue generation, in response to the economic development of the country.
“This is not the right time to introduce a tariff increment, as the Nigerian economy has been hit by the effects of subsidy removal and high cost of inflation.”
According to her, rather than an increase in tariff, the Federal Government and NERC should support businesses to survive by rolling out palliatives, which will enhance the high standards expected in the hospitality industry.
She added that such a move would foster tourism, “Any tariff increment at this time will bring untold hardship on the already struggling businesses and many will lose their jobs with the resultant consequences ranging from insecurity, among others.”
While calling for synergy between the public and private sectors, she said they should be empowered with necessary programmes and activities, to enable them to be at par with their counterpart in the global tourism expo through the government’s deliberate arrangements.
“We stand ready to engage with government officials, regulatory bodies, and industry stakeholders to develop holistic strategies that prioritise the long-term viability of our establishments and safeguard our contributions to federal capital territory and Nigeria at large”, she maintained.
Janefrances Ebere Chibuzor is a Tourism Writer at THEWILL
