By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Owners and operators of hospitality businesses in Anambra State have been cautioned over the proliferation and the activities of unregistered hospitality businesses in the state.
The State Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment, and Tourism, Mr. Don Onyenji, gave the warning on Tuesday during an inspection of the demolished Golden Points Hotels and Suites in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area, vowing that the government will no longer tolerate such in the state.
It would be recalled that the hotel facility was crushed over the weekend by the newly launched security outfit in Anambra State, Agụnechemba (popularly known as Operation Udo Ga-Achi), following allegations of criminal activities going on within the premises, including the discovery of over 30 makeshift graves and a shrine inside the hotel, among other allegations.
Addressing journalists at the scene, the Commissioner revealed that apart from the criminal allegations, the hotel was never officially registered with the state government.
“As far as the state government is concerned, this hotel and the businesses run here are illegal because they were never registered. Any hospitality business in Anambra State must be duly registered with the government, especially for proper identification and regulation of their activities,” he stated.
The Commissioner emphasized that the state government had stringent laws regarding the operations of hospitality and tourism-related establishments, citing the Anambra State Tourism and Hospitality Agency Law, 2016. He noted that registration ensures proper inspection and monitoring, which helps in maintaining safety and compliance.
“When you register with the government, we have your contact and address, and we can inspect your facility periodically. But some people will build structures and begin operating illegally as hospitality centers without following due process. When we discover such places, we seal them. If they fail to comply with the law, they face the full weight of the law,” he said.
Aside other reasons, he noted that these also have security benefits, both to the hotel, the customers and the community and the entire state at large.
Mr. Onyenji also lauded Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his commitment to tackling criminality and insecurity in Anambra State, further noting that the Ministry would continue to complement the efforts of the government.
“Our governor has taken the lead in cleaning up criminal elements from the state. We now have laws against kidnapping, cultism, and other criminal activities. If any hotel or place is associated with these vices, it will be dealt with according to the law—whether by demolition, seizure of property, or prosecution of the owners,” he declared.
Addressing concerns about the ongoing fight against illegal hospitality operations, the Commissioner revealed that the Ministry had been conducting inspections and issuing forms to hotel owners for registration, which, he said, had been an ongoing exercise in the state He further explained that a grading and licensing process is in place to regulate operations and ensure compliance.
“Yearly renewal of licenses is an ongoing process. Those who evade this requirement risk being closed down. We have already prosecuted some defaulters using mobile courts. The Anambra State Tourism and Hospitality Agency Law of 2016 is clear on this, and ignorance of the law is not an excuse,” he stressed.
To further engage stakeholders and ensure compliance, the Commissioner announced plans for a soon-to-hold state-wide summit by his Ministry, involving all hotel, hospitality, and leisure park owners in the state.
“We need to educate and enlighten them the more on the do’s and don’ts. While we are planning this summit, our operations across the state continue, to ensure compliance.”
Specifically addressing the speculations trending the demolition of Golden Points Hotels and Suites, Commissioner Onyenji clarified that the evidence of criminal activities alone justified the action of the government.
“If you claim to have a fish pond upstairs in your hotel and we find graves and a shrine linked to criminality, the law will catch up with you. The governor’s proclamation and the law still stand—any shrine or structure linked to crime will be taken down, and the perpetrators will face the law,” he said.
During the visit, the Commissioner and his team also intercepted scrap dealers attempting to cart away properties from the demolished hotel. Many unused condoms, kitchen utensils, chairs, tables, foams, electrical appliances, and other facilities, were already packed out from the demolished building and being arranged and loaded inside a standby truck for evacuation, before the Commissioner and his team arrived the scene.
While the driver of the vehicle fled, the man who allegedly engaged the labourers refused to show up or reveal who authorized him, resulting in the confiscation of truck and the intercepted items, as well as the resealing of the premises with caution tape.
Reacting to the development, Commissioner Onyenji expressed dissatisfaction with the situation, warning that government-sealed properties must not be tampered with.
“This place is under government investigation. No individual is authorized to touch anything here. We need to take an inventory and complete investigations before the government takes a final decision. Anyone caught looting government-sealed properties will face the full weight of the law,” he warned.
The Commissioner declared that the scrap dealers were operating without authorization.
“Luckily, we caught them during the second attempt and stopped them. The investigation will continue, and appropriate measures will be taken against them,” he assured.
Onyenji concluded by reiterating the government’s zero-tolerance stance on illegal operations and criminality in the hospitality sector.
His words: “Anambra State must be rid of every form of criminality. And we are resolute in our commitment to this cause. And all hands must be on deck.”
