The Kwara State House of Assembly is disturbed by the underage and students’ patronage of hotels in Ilorin.
During the House plenary yesterday, Hon. Omotosho Rasaq (Isin) moved a motion on the need to address what he called ” The Unchecked Patronage And Usage Of Hotels And Pubs By Underage Persons In Ilorin Metropolis”.
The motion was seconded by Hon. Medinat Abdulraheem (Lanwa/Ejidongari).
In leading the debate, Hon. Omotosho Rasaq noted that Ilorin, the capital city of Kwara State, is fast-growing into a cosmopolitan with an increase in the number of hospitality establishments, including hotels, pubs, brothels, lounges, and recreational centres.
He lamented that many hospitality facilities have become “frequent go-to places by underage persons,” particularly during weekends and school holidays, since there are no age verification or restriction mechanisms in place.
Rasaq expressed worry that “this trend is rapidly gaining ground in areas such as Adewole, Tanke, Fate, Unity Road, Pipeline, Sango and GRA, where children, some still in secondary school uniforms, are frequently seen gaining access to these establishments without any restriction.”
He expressed concern that the unchecked access to such venues exposes minors to immoral, unhealthy, and dangerous behaviours such as alcohol consumption, drug abuse, and other forms of social vices that could negatively influence their development and well-being.
He argued that “despite existing laws, the inaction of regulatory bodies such as the Kwara State Hotel and Tourism Board, the lack of coordinated enforcement by security agencies and poor parental guidance, has emboldened the perpetuity of such practices with many hotel owners and pub operators neglecting their legal and moral responsibilities in the pursuit of profit at the detriment of our social values.”
Hon. Lawal Salihu (Ipaye/Malete/Oloru), Hon. Rukayat Shittu (Owode/Onire), Hon. Ganiyu Salahu (Omupo), and Hon. Owolabi Rasak (Share/Okeode) also contributed to the motion.
In its resolution, the House of Assembly urged the state governor to direct the Ministry of Social Development and the Kwara State Hotel and Tourism Board to immediately carry out a comprehensive audit and regulatory inspection of all hotels, lounges, pubs, and related establishments in the Ilorin metropolis.
The legislature said this is necessary to ensure compliance with age restriction laws and develop a code of conduct and compliance framework for hospitality businesses in the state to respond appropriately to emerging industry challenges.
It also urged the governor to direct the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development to collaborate in sensitising parents, schools, and the public on the dangers of allowing minors to access hotels and pubs.
It called on heads of all law enforcement agencies in the state to conduct regular checks and surveillance on hospitality establishments to enforce age restrictions and penalise violators accordingly.
The House also directed its committee on Information, Youth and Sports to interface with the umbrella bodies of hotel and pub owners to devise ways to strictly comply with the Child Rights Act and other relevant extant regulations for the good of all.
