Hoteliers in Oyo State on Friday congratulated Gov. Seyi Makinde and his deputy, Mr Bayo Lawal on their re-election.
In a congratulatory message issued in Ibadan, President, Hoteliers Association of Oyo State, Mr Ayodele Ogundele, on behalf of members, expressed joy at the governor’s re-election and prayed for his success and that of the association.
The congratulatory message was signed by Ogundele and other executive members of the association.
The association used the medium to call the governor’s attention to multiple and uniform taxation charged hotels in the state.
It argued that hoteliers in hinterland towns like Oyo, Ogbomoso, Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun could not be paying same level of taxes with those in Ibadan and urged the state government to look into the issue.
“Makinde’s administration has been doing wonderfully well for the association by harmonising our bills.
“We need the governor to work in synergy with the state’s tourism board, however, so that we can all join hands to move Oyo tourism forward.
“We thank the governor for not shutting down the state during the COVID-19, as it assisted the economy and welfare of Oyo residents.
“We also thank the governor for looking into the security situation in the state,’’ the association wrote.
It added that sensitisation tour of hotels in Ibadan and its 11 local government areas would begin soon in continuation of the November 2022 exercise.
The association conducted the 2022 exercise in collaboration with the Oyo State Tourism Board, the Department of State Services, the NDLEA and the Nigeria Immigration Service.
The exercise covered Oke-Ogun, Ibarapa, Oyo and Ogbomoso areas.
It aimed at sensitising hoteliers about the importance of security and assisting government by informing law enforcement agencies about any crime noticed in the hotels.