- Passes Tourism, Hospitality Bill Into Law
The Oyo State House of Assembly has moved to ensure stiff penalties for human trafficking offenders, tourism and hospitality operators who indulge in selling banned drugs or drug-related drinks in the state.
The penalties contained in a bill, Oyo State Tourism and Hospitality Bill, 2020 which was passed into law by the state’s assembly on Tuesday.
The bill, which proposed N10 million fine or five years jail term or both for human trafficking offenders, was passed into law by the Speaker, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin after clause by clause consideration at the committee level of the whole House during the plenary on Tuesday.
The bill further proposed a fine of N200,000 hotel, park and garden, joint operators among others who indulge in selling banned drugs or drugs related drinks in Oyo State.
The bill, Oyo State Tourism and Hospitality Bill, 2020 was an amended version of three laws namely; Hotels (Registration and Classification) Law, 2000, Innkeepers and Hotel Proprietors Law, 2000 and Oyo State Tourism Board Law, 2000.
According to Hon. Isiaka Kazeem Tunde, a member representing Oyo East/Oyo West and one of the sponsors of the bill, Oyo State Tourism and Hospitality Bill, 2020, the focus of the bill is to regulate and improve tourism and hospitality business in the state by putting necessary regulations and guidelines in place.
The lawmaker established that the bill will give legal backing to the tourism and hospitality board to monitor the activities of the operators by ensuring that what they are doing is in line with international best practices.
Hon. Tunde, while explaining why Oyo State government should shift its attention to tourism and hospitality business to generate more revenue for the state, disclosed that the state is blessed with various tourism centers of attraction that if well managed would boost the state’s economy.
“The bill is to regulate and improve the tourism and hospitality business in the state. The bill when it becomes law will give more power, in terms of legal backing to the already established tourism and hospitality board to perform its responsibilities by ensuring that activities of the tourism and hospitality operators in the state are monitored.
“The bill intends to create an enabling investment friendly environment where investors will come down to Oyo State and feel relaxed. It comprises of hotels, parks and gardens, as well tourist attraction centers across the state.
“We want to make it practically impossible for operators to operate in the state without passing through proper registration procedures. The bill will enable the state government to know the number of operators in the tourism and hospitality sector in the state. The bill has made it an offence for operators to operate without being properly registered by virtue of a section in the bill.
Other who jointly sponsored the bill included the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Muhammed Fadeyi, Minority Leader, Hon. Asimiyu Alarape, Hon. Ayo Fatokun, Hon. Bimbo Oladeji (Ogbomoso North), Hon Akeem Obadara (Ibadan North West), Hon Lateef Adebunmi (Oorelope) and Hon Olusegun Popoola (Ibadan South East 2).
Packaged by Kunle Gazali
