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From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Nigeria Association of Hoteliers, Imo State chapter, is expected to storm Imo State next week for a crucial meeting that may lead to a shutdown over ill-treatment of its members as well as the imposition of multiple taxations by purported consultants of the State government.
Mr Chima Chukwuyenre, Chairman, Imo State chapter of the association, who confirmed that the National chairman of the association, Eze Patrick Anyanwu would be leading his executives to the State in a press conference on Friday noted that this has become necessary after several warnings and pleas were rebuffed by the authorities concerned.
The most recent ill-treatment of members of the association according to Chukwuyenre is the invasion of one of the hotels at New Owerri, Asimoto, where some people claiming to be consultants to the State Environmental Transformation Commission(ENTRACO) allegedly invaded the hotel and carted away properties and an undisclosed amount of money.
Chukwuyenre disclosed that the consultant, Emeka and Family had claimed that it earlier issued a notice to the management of the hotel to pay a certain fee, but when it did not yield to their demands, they stormed the place on Friday morning, beating up the staff before leaving with their properties in their van.
“This is not the first time we are witnessing this kind of harassment, they have impounded so many vehicles belonging to various hotels in the State on the pretence of biometric capturing despite the State government has banned consultant firms.
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“But they still operate, we don’t know which to believe again, they do this and go scot-free, the government seemed to be folding its hands. The government has told us several times that biometric capturing is for commercial bus transporters to check insecurity, but they still impound our own vehicles.
“Even some of the tax they asked us to pay, we have been paying even though it is not receipted for. We can’t bear these any longer, our national body would be in Imo next week,it is possible after their meeting, hotels in Imo would be shut down.
” Not only the hotels this time, we have also been talking with the those operating restaurants and eateries in the State, it’s going to be a complete shutdown. It’s a pity the hospitality business which has been the major employers of labour in Imo is dying and nothing is being done to stop it.
When contacted, a representative of the ENTRACO who does not want his name mentioned denied all the allegations of the hoteliers including invading and carting away properties and money at Asimoto hotel.
However, he confirmed that most of the hotels were sealed because of causing environmental pollution.
