COVID-19 Lockdown: Bauchi Hoteliers Seek N500m Palliative From Government
BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – Hoteliers in Bauchi State are demanding for N500 million as palliative to cover their cumulative losses in the past two months as a result of the ban on social gatherings and partial lockdown imposed on the State following the outbreak of Coronavirus which has adversely affected their income.
The hotels proprietors in the state also lamented that their businesses have been paralyzed with no hope that it may pick in the nearest future considering the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Addressing journalists on Monday at Obuna Royal Hotel, Bauchi, the State Chairman of Nigeria Hotels Association, Bauchi state chapter, Eze Patrick Anyanwu appealed to the state government to assist them with N500 million to save the hotels from total collapse after the COVID-19 induced holidays.
Anyanwu said that there are a total of 140 hotels across the state, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their business negatively such that they resorted to taking loans from banks to maintain the hotels and pay staff salaries.
According to him; “The COVID-19 pandemic has affected hotels so badly. Yet we are expected to at the end of the month still pay taxes, we must pay for electricity, water and so on. Some of our staff are being paid fully, some are paid half salaries. We have not decided to have any of our staff sacked. They are still on the job.
“We normally get our customers through neighboring states. The lockdown on neighboring states have made us not to enjoying patronage any more. Some of us have borrowed money from banks to make the hotels to be in order. If we are not working, how can we repay the loans?” he asked.
He also said that if the 140 hotels in the state go bankrupt and collapse, numerous workers who earn a living from them will be jobless saying, “Hotels in Bauchi state totalling about 140 contribute to the internally generated revenue of the state. They contribute to the socio-economic development of the state.
“Hotels have been helping in terms of gainful employments of our youths. We hereby request for N500 million financial assistance from the government as palliative. The financial palliative we are requesting from the governor is very necessary, very important for us not to collapse completely,” he entreated.
Since the partial lockdown of the state as well as the curfew imposed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the State Police Command has been patrolling all hotels and relaxation joints in the state, disrupting operations, a development that has scared away those that patronize hotels.
