The Nation Newspaper

Tag: hotels

  • Waking up from our slumber

    After two days of staying in a hotel in Accra, Ghana, last Wednesday and Thursday, I suddenly realised that I had not experienced any moment of black out or heard the sound of a generator. This was strange to me considering what I am used to in Nigeria.

    In the best of hotels I had stayed in my country, some of which are better than the one I was in Ghana, you can’t miss the sight or the humming of giant generators. Even if you don’t see or hear the sound of generator, you will surly notice the changeovers when public electricity goes off.

    Some hotels are permanently on generators during the day to avoid the embarrassment of light-out which could give them a bad image.

    Does my experience at the Ghana hotel mean that light does not go off in Ghana? No. It does; and in fact, the hotels have generators. What is apparent is that the frequency is not in anyway compared to what we have in Nigeria where ownership of generators by individuals and organisations is a prerequisite for having power supply as regularly as you want.

    When I told one of my hosts of the claim in Nigeria that Ghanaians enjoy 24-hour power supply, he laughed and noted that Nigerians rate their country too high than it is. According to him, they also have their own infrastructural challenges which they are demanding that the government should address.

    If Ghana, whose size and economy is not comparable to our country, has some things that give the world, including Nigerians, the impression that it is a better governed country than ours, we must demand better conditions of living than we currently have.

    The new Kotoka International Airport terminal is another example of why we cannot but insist that governments at all levels in the country live up to expectations. Compared with the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, the Kotoka is way ahead in terms of the elegance, facilities and services available to travellers.

    The Ghana airport reminded me of the Singapore airport I passed through late last year. On my return on Friday, the environment of the airport was as untidy as usual. The waiting section for arriving passengers outside the airport, not only have some pool of rainwater, but it was littered with cigarette stubs. Where I sat on arrival in Ghana while waiting for my host was as welcoming as it should be.

    While I join in congratulating President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election, I wish to urge him to really do his best to take our country to the next level as promised during the campaigns.

    Those of us who complain about what we don’t like about our country are not enemies of the government, what we are asking for are basic things that can be achieved if the government comes up with the right policies and ensures their implementation.

    It is a shame that we have to compare our country with countries that do not have the resources and manpower we have. How do we explain that Nigerians are being deported from Ghana? Why are we usually the butt of jokes by other African countries as being big for nothing?

    We can’t afford to remain the sleeping giant which we have always been. It’s time to wake up from our slumber and take our rightful place not only on the continent, but globally.

  • How hotels, night clubs, others aid crime, by police chief

    The Police in Lagos have  warned operators of night clubs,  hotels and other hospitality outfits to henceforth put in place internal security measures  to check drug peddling and criminalities.

    Actin Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal gave the warning at a meeting with stakeholders in the hospitality industry at the Command Headquarters in Ikeja.

    Edgal said intelligence report indicated that there was increase in drug abuse among youths and minors.

    The Police chief was quoted in a statement by the force’s image maker, Folarin Famous-Cole, that the act poses danger to the promotion of  government’s proposed night economy.

    He said there had been many initiatives and programmes geared towards ensuring a 24-hour economy in the state.

    Despite the successes recorded in recent time, there were grey areas which must be jointly tackled by both police and operators in line with his principle of community policing and security partnership, he said.

    Edgal said: “One of such areas is the issue of drug peddling and abuse. Intelligence report at my disposal reveals that there is increased drug abuse in most of our night clubs, lounges and beaches. Young men and women freely use narcotic substances at times in those areas to the knowledge of the operators but they are doing nothing about it. This is wrong. The scourge of drugs and its attendant effects aside dangerous to health is criminal activities. The ease with which our youths are getting access to drugs is worrisome and our meeting here today is to send a very strong signal to operators that it is not going to be business as usual.”

    The CP said it had also been observed that some hotels now give rooms to minors and also sell alcoholic drinks to them, while under-aged girls were also being allowed to use such establishments for prostitution.

    “In addition, we also have the issue of criminals hibernating and having save haven in all our beaches, hotels, clubs, lounges these days. The last intelligence report I received indicates that young men now move around these establishments armed. This is very dangerous for the security of the state. We have it on good authority that some of these establishments are used as meeting points to plan crimes before,” Edgal said.

    He said police have the capacity to arrest any operator found aiding criminal activities, but the will continue to engage the stakeholders in line with the principle of community policing and security partnership to tackle the menace frontally.

    Going forward, the CP said it was compulsory for operators to now install basic security gadgets such as Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras and metal box detectors, among others to cover their establishments.

    The CP also set up a 10-man Committee headed by the Managing Director of Farm City Lounge in Lekki, Mr Lanre Carew to come up with a comprehensive blueprint on how to strengthen security in the hospitality industry, especially how to put a stop to drug peddling and armed bandits.

    The committee has two weeks to submit its report.

  • Firm designs safety toolkits for hotels

    Hotels and restaurants in Nigeria can now guarantee their customers safer and healthier floors, swimming pool areas and bathtubs with the introduction of Surestep’s anti-slips products into the country.

    This was made known at a press conference by the Executive Chairman of No-Slips, Mr. Charles Igbinidu, recently in Lagos.

    Addressing newsmen, Igbinidu said that the company is out to reduce slip and fall accidents in homes and public places, especially hotels and restaurants in Nigeria, which record a large number of footfalls on a daily basis.

    He said that, according to Hotels.ng, there are about 400 hotel bookings on a daily basis with over 12,000 bookings monthly, adding that a restaurant or fast food outlet in Nigeria welcomes at least 500 visitors on a daily basis and 15000 customers monthly.

    Igbinidu explained that this large number of customers who patronise these institutions are indirectly exposed to the dangers of slip and fall accidents upon their visit to these luxury relaxation centres as a result of wet or slippery floors, bathroom or swimming pools.

    According to him, the National Safety Council reported that close to 25,000 people go to the hospital everyday as a result of slip and fall injuries while about five deaths are recorded. Quoting the National Floor Safety Institute, he noted that more than three million food service employees and over a million guests are injured annually due to slip and fall accidents in restaurants alone.

    “Popular hotels and restaurants welcome a lot of sophisticated guests all the time and, as a result, have their floors mopped regularly to maintain a clean ambience. By doing this, most times they leave wet floors that can cause slip and fall accident. Also, foods and beverages are constantly being served. Any dropped tray of food or any spilled drink is a potential hazard for the guests as well as the staff. Restaurant kitchens are even more dangerous, and in peak hours, it is just not possible for the staff to watch every step while walking.”

    Slip and fall accidents mostly result in wounds, injuries, pain, and medical bills.  It brings various legal implications, especially when it comes to commercial establishments.

     

     

  • ‘No-Slips’ll bring safety to hotels, restaurants’

    Hotels and restaurant in Nigeria can now guarantee their customers a safer and healthier floor, swimming pool areas and bathtubs with the advent of Surestep’s anti-slips products, Executive Chairman, No-Slips Limited Mr Charles Igbinidu has said.

    According to him, the company is out to reduce slip and fall accidents in homes and public places, especially hotels and restaurants in Nigeria, which records a many footfalls daily.

    Igbinidu said: “Popular hotels and restaurants welcome a lot of sophisticated guests all the time and as a result, have their floors mopped regularly to maintain a clean ambience. By doing this, most times they leave wet floors that can cause slip and fall accident. Also, foods and beverages are being served. Any dropped tray of food or any spilled drink is a potential hazard for the guests as well as the staff. Restaurant kitchens are even more dangerous, and in peak hours, it is just not possible for the staff to watch every step while walking.

    “It is, then, the responsibility of the restaurant owners to ensure that the restaurant floors are safe to walk, for guests and staff alike. Slip and fall accidents mostly result in wounds, injuries, pain, and medical bills.  It brings various legal implications, especially when it comes to commercial establishments. The safety of the guests becomes a natural responsibility of the property owner, who is held responsible of any and every accident occurring on the property premises. As a victim, the guests can file a personal injury claim and the company might end up paying medical bills as compensation. The best way to avoid these mishaps is, therefore, a permanent solution which according which No-Slips Limited offers.

    Igbinidu observed that there are about 400 hotel bookings daily with over 12,000 bookings monthly, adding that a restaurants or fast food outlet in Nigeria welcomes at least 500 visitors on a daily basis and 1,5000 customers monthly, which is according to Hotels.ng.

    He explained that this large number of customers who patronise these institutions are indirectly exposed to the dangers of slip and fall accidents upon their visit to these luxury relaxation centers as a result of wet or slippery floors, bathroom or swimming pools, observing that the National Safety Council reported that close to 25,000 people go to the hospital everyday as a result of slip and fall injuries while about five deaths are recorded.

    He said: “The vision of the company is to reduce the chances of people’s exposure to slip and fall accidents and its egregious consequences. We want to make hotels, restaurants and other public places safer with the use of Surestep anti-slip chemicals. According to the National Floor Safety Institute, more than 3 million food service employees and over a million guests are injured annually due to slip and fall accidents in restaurants alone.”

    Igbinidu pointed out that there are daily reports of people sustaining life threatening injuries as a result of slip and fall accident in hotels and restaurants despite effort to prevent it. “There has been reports of people who lost their lives or sustained permanent disabilities as a result of slip and fall accidents in public places such as hotels, restaurants, conference halls, event centers etc as a result of wet and slippery floors. “We all have experienced a slip at some time or another and it always comes as a surprise, we can never seem to be too careful. The consequences sometimes are unpleasant” he said.

    He recalled the incident that happened to a friend of his who slipped in his bathroom while trying to have a shower, hit his head and died.

    “This kind of sorrowful incident can easily be avoided if precautionary measures are put in place and that is where ‘No-Slips’ comes in. We treat your floors, bathtubs, swimming pool floors with Surestep Products to make them resistant to slips and prevent falls when floors are wet. The product has been developed and proven for concrete, quarry tile, spanish tile, ceramic tile, glazed brick, marble, terrazzo, porcelain/enamel, and many other hard mineral surfaces. Every floor and bathtub treated with Surestep is guaranteed to have an increased coefficient of friction for at least six months to two years.” He said.

    Igbinidu added that, though some Nigerians are aware of slip and fall accidents which according to him is one of the most common domestic accidents in Nigeria, they are yet to come to the reality of its dangers and how to prevent it.

    “No-Slips Limited is, therefore, into the business of giving that peace of mind while pointing out that we can never seem to be too careful as slip and fall accidents happen unexpectedly,” he said.

     

  • SEC dissolves Ikeja Hotels Board

    The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced the dissolution of the Board of Ikeja Hotels Plc due to unresolved internal crisis involving some majority shareholders of the hotel.

    Mr Naif Abdulsalam, the Head of the Corporate Communications of SEC disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

    Abdulsalam said that the dissolution was a proactive measure that had become necessary to dissuade the warring parties from taking certain actions that would give them an advantage over one another.

    “To forestall chaos in the organisation, the commission and other distinguished personalities previously held various meetings with the existing board towards resolving the crises.

    “The company continued to be plagued with unhealthy corporate governance practices in disregard with the Code of Corporate Governance for public companies.

    “As a public company, it is paramount that the activities of the company are conducted within the confines of existing corporate governance regulations in the Nigerian capital market.

    “This is to ensure the protection of minority shareholders and other investors.”

    He said that having failed to resolve its lingering crisis; the commission approved the appointment of an interim board for the company with Chief Anthony Idigbe, SAN as the interim Chairman.

    He said that SEC did this through exercising the powers conferred on it by the Investment and Securities Act, 2007 to protect investors and the integrity of the securities market.

    Ikeja Hotels Plc, owners of Lagos Sheraton Hotel, has been involved in  boardroom crisis.

    The development led to some of the shareholders removing its Chairman, Mr Goodie Ibru early 2015 at an Extra-ordinary General Meeting (EGM).

  • Court affirms Ibru as Ikeja Hotels’ chair

    The Federal High Court in Abuja has held that Mr Goodie Minabo Ibru is the authentic chairman of Ikeja Hotels Plc.

    It nullified an extra-ordinary general meeting (EGM) by the hotel held on January 6, 2015, where Ibru was purportedly removed.

    Justice A. Abdul Kafarati delivered the verdict on December 21. A certified true copy of it was obtained yesterday.

    The judgment follows an April 24, 2015 originating summons filed by three shareholders – Prof. Isaac Adalemo, Kes Connestone International Ltd and Mr. Braimoh Ademuyewo Adesina.

    They sued Ikeja Hotels, IHL Services, Ibru, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa, Mr. Olumide Braithwaite, Mr. Tunde Sarumi, inspector general of Police and Diamond Bank plc.

    They sought nine reliefs: a declaration that issuance, service of Notice of Meeting personally or by post on every shareholder is a condition precedent to a valid annual or EGM of a company; a declaration that the plaintiffs being shareholders of Ikeja Hotels are entitled to receive notice of every annual, extraordinary or general meeting; and a declaration that the meeting of January 6, 2015 held without service of notice of the meeting on them is null and void.

    They prayed the court for an order setting aside all resolutions, steps and decisions taken at the purported EGM, as well as an order setting aside the hotel’s Form CAC 7 of January 7, 2015, the purported Board resolution of January 9, 2015 and such further resolutions and actions purportedly taken at the January 6 meeting.

    Justice Kafarati held: “I have considered all the processes filed by the parties in this case and from the said processes the issue for determination are:  whether a meeting of a public company held in contravention of the provisions of sec. 218 (3) 218(1), 220(1) and 221 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act is unlawful, null and void and without any legal consequence, and whether advertising of notice of meetings in national dailies without service of personal notice suffices as notice to members of a public company under the companies and allied Matters Act, and whether a meeting help pursuant to such advertised notice and resolutions made at such meeting is unlawful, null and void and of no legal consequence…I  find merit in the plaintiffs’ originating summons and, therefore, all the reliefs are granted.”

  • Lagos to clampdown on hotels without signposts

    The Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, will clampdown on hotels without signposts, its parmanant secretary, mrs adebimpe akinsola said yesterday.

    Mrs Akinsola, who is the ministry’s Acting Commissioner,  told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that any hotel operating without displaying a signpost is doing so illegally.

    “It is an offence for a hotel to be operating without signage. The state government is committed to monitor and hunt any hotel operating without a sign-post.

    “Any hotel found wanting will be brought to book and face the punishment,” she said.

    Mrs Akinsola said the move was to checkmate the hotels’ activities in order to make the state safe.

    “Some criminals are fond of using some of the unregistered hotels to carry out their evil deeds.

    “Therefore, it is necessary to check such vices by clamping down on such illegal hotels. As we are talking, the ministry’s monitoring team is on surveillance to identify the violators,” she said.

    She said the government would soon upgrade all the tourist sites, monuments and heritage sites across the state to international standard.

    Mrs Akinsola said the government would ensure that the state becomes the most preferred tourist destination in West Africa.

    “We want to use tourism to turn around the economy of the state and also make Lagos State a tourism-hub in West Africa,” she said.

    The acting commissioner, said the ministry would host the Lagos Street Party on December 3 and 4 to showcase the food, culture and way of life of Lagosians to the outside world.

    “Security will be guaranteed, there will be free buses to transport people to Kuramo Beach Front, Victoria Island, its venue,” she said.

    She said the government was also planning to develop water transportation as alternative to road transportation.

    Mrs Akinsola said the Lagos State Tourism Master plan would be review for implementation.

    She was appointed cting commissioner on October 12.

  • Ojokoro LCDA to rescue under-aged girls from hotels

    The Education Department of Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State on Sunday vowed to rescue under-aged girls on menial jobs or prostitution in hotels.

    Mrs Abimbola Whenayon, the Head of Department of Education in the LCDA, gave the promise in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    She said that officers of the department would begin the rescue and rehabilitation exercise in April.

    The officer said many under-aged girls had been lured into menial jobs in hotels or as sex workers by their relatives who brought them to the state under the pretext of better life.

    She said that the girls would be reunited with their parents and subsequently enrolled in schools to become better citizens.

    She said many under-aged girls were deceived and brought to Lagos by close relatives with the promise that they would be enrolled in schools or work.

    “When I was in Surulere Local Government, we rescued some girls, rehabilitated and enrolled them in schools.

    “I am new in this LCDA, but by April, after the holiday, I will start going into it fully to rescue the girls who are being exploited.

    “We will get a place for them, rehabilitate them, send them to school and even seek partnership with private organisations to train those who are not interested in school

    “We will train them in vocational skills that will make them very responsible citizens instead of becoming sex workers or bar girls.

    “After a while, we will link up with their parents or family anywhere in the country so that we can reunite them.

    “If I get government’s support, It will be a success because when I was in Surulere Local Government, I was supported and we helped a lot of under-aged girls,’’ she said.

    Whenayon also reiterated the council’s commitment to educate illiterate adults in the area through the adult literacy programme.

    According to her, this is in line with the directive of the Federal Government.

    She said that about 80 adult students were currently receiving classes in 25 different centres in the area.

    “We are teaching market men and women, commercial bus drivers, meat sellers, pepper sellers and bus conductors on how to read and write.

    “The turnout is good as many of them do not know how to spell their names or calculate their money before.

    “But through the adult education, many of them now understand basic calculations.

    “Many of them have been defrauded by their children or relatives because they missed out of the opportunity to go to school in the past.

    “Some of our students in the adult education class are now in the Nigeria Teachers Institute and others will write the General Certificate of Examination (GCE) conducted by WAEC,’’ she said.

  • RRS claims suspected burglar spends N240,000 monthly on hotels

    RRS claims suspected burglar spends N240,000 monthly on hotels

    A suspected burglar has reportedly told Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives that arrested him that he pays N240,000.00 monthly as hotel bills.

    Joseph David, 20, from Ekpoma in Edo State, was arrested in Ikeja around 4:40am.  after he allegedly burgled two flats on Gbajobi Close, Balogun, Ikeja, and stole three laptops and five mobile phones.

    David was on his way to his hotel located in Dopemu, where he has been lodging for over one month when he was intercepted by the RRS.

    RRS investigations showed that there have been cases of breaking in around Gbajobi Close. The residents have reportedly lost valuables and cash to burglars.

    In a statement, RRS claimed that David confessed that he has been lodging in hotels because he couldn’t live in his parents’ house because of the poverty stricken condition of the environment.

    He was quoted as saying that he spent N8,000,  per night on hotel, noting that he has spent over a month in the hotel.

    He said: “I was returning to the hotel when I was accosted on Awolowo Way by RRS operatives and they stopped to check my bag. They found: 1 Mac laptop; two HP laptops, two iPhone 5; one blackberry classic and two Nokia Touch phones.

    “The house I broke into is a two storey building behind Jabita Hotel in Balogun, Ikeja. I scaled its fence around 3a.m and I finished the operation around 4am. I have broken into some other houses in that area before, where I stole handsets and laptops. I am into ‘yahoo yahoo’ but money has not been forthcoming like before. I could barely make N100, 000 and N50, 000 like before. That is why I used to break in and steal to augment my earning.

    “I stay in the hotel with my girlfriend and a couple of friends come around. Benjamin is the only buyer that I have. I have been an embarrassment to my parents”.

    Benjamin Odinaka, 18, a phone repairer in Computer village, Ikeja, said: “I buy phones and laptops from him. I used to visit him in whatever hotel he lodges in to buy the stolen items.

    “This is the third time that I would be buying laptops and phones from him. I have bought more than seven laptops and several phones. The last time I bought a Mac laptop, an HP laptop, an iphone 5 and a Blackberry phone from him.”

    A man whose belongings were stolen, who simply identified himself as Daniel said: “Break in has been going on in the close for quite some time now. Daily, we hear report of burglars in houses around us. We don’t know this guy and we have not met him before”.

    Police spokesperson Dolapo Badmos said the suspects have been transferred to Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SAS) for more investigation.

  • LASEPA seals 28 hotels

    LASEPA seals 28 hotels

    The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) yesterday said it has sealed more than 28 hotels due to non-compliance with the environmental laws of the state.

    Its General Manager Adebola Shabi, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    “We just don’t go about sealing indiscriminately, we give warning and failure to comply, ends with a sealing of such property. We have standard laws on pollution – noise and air emissions are part of such pollution.’’

    He said the defaulters would be compelled to sign an undertaking or put in place an action plan to forestall a recurrence, before the facilities would be unsealed.