Hoteliers Decry Multiple Taxation, Plead For Govt Grants

Nigeria Hotel Association (NHA) has decried the multiple taxation being collected from the hotels by the government at each of the three levels of the country.

The national president of the association, Eze Patrick Anyanwu said that such taxation has not only been depriving the hotels of the much needed revenues, but also making the hotel business more cumbersome.

Eze Anyanwu at a press conference held at NUJ Secretariat, Bauchi on Thursday also expressed concern with the non-registration with the association by some 5-Star hotels in the country.

Such attitudes of some hotel proprietors or owners, the national president said, is giving a setback to the growth and development of the hotel industry in the country.

He therefore charged the state chairmen of the association to liaise with owners of those big hotels at their own level with a view to ensure that they register with the association towards promoting the business.

“Every hotel from the states to the national level should key in with the association for its development”, he said, stressing that the hotels contribute immensely to the growth of the national economy.

Anyanwu urged governments at various levels to consider giving grants to hotels in order to curb them from bank borrowing at high interest rates, saying “We are contributing a lot to the development of the country.

“We are pleading for grants, because we are contributing a lot to the country in terms of revenues, employment, and accommodating government’s visitors from all over the world.”

The national president then tasked members to embrace the gospel of unity and to look beyond personal interests, while focusing on the collective good of the association.

“Let us remind ourselves that our strength lies not in our numbers alone, but in our ability to speak with one voice and walk hand in hand with one another”, he stated.