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| FCT Minister Mohammed Bello |
All lodging and tourism businesses, including hotels, inns, and homes, must register and obtain a licence with the Social Development Secretariat, according to a directive from the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) (SDS).
The directive was given during a news conference on Thursday in Abuja by Umar Shuaibu, Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC).
The topic of the news conference was the FCT Contravention on Violation of Land Uses by Operators of the Hospitality Industry.
According to Mr Shuaibu, the council found that many of the proprietors of the hotel sector operating in the territory are unknown to the FCT government.
He also said that most owners of hotels in the territory were operating without following the appropriate procedure of acquiring all necessary approvals from the relevant agencies of the administration.
“This is not proper because no organisation can operate in a place without getting approval from the government.
“The FCT Administration has observed with great concern that some random persons altered their land use from the initial approved purpose to hospitality purposes.
“Many of these contraventions are residential quarters that were converted to hotels, and brothels etc. These constitute security challenges in the entire territory,” Mr Shuaibu said.
The coordinator, therefore, said that every hospitality operator in Abuja must profile all guests and visitors with a “verifying app.”
He said that the administration identified that many criminal elements disguise themselves and check into some hospitality services as guests before and after carrying out their nefarious activities.
“Therefore, it has become imperative for the FCT Administration to close all the loopholes in order to deal with all security challenges that have now become a daily occurrence not only in the capital city but the nation at large.
“Operators willing to comply and any intending ones are to use the available window of proper registration with the Social Development Secretariat. At the end of the day, they will be the facilitators of their safety and everyone.
“It is not business as usual for those who have formed the habit of breaking the extant laws of the FCT. They should know that there is no hiding place for them.
“They will henceforth be prosecuted accordingly,” the coordinator said.
On his part, the Director, Department of Development Control of FCTA, Mukhtar Galadima, said the department would invoke the Urban and Regional Planning Law to deal with the recalcitrant operators.
Mr Galadima also said that the department would collaborate with the security agencies and all relevant secretariats in the territory to ensure enforcement and compliance with the new regulatory guidelines.
“This time around we want to deal with this issue differently by way of prosecution at the Urban and Regional Planning Tribunal because it is not going to be business as usual.
“We will strengthen collaboration with the security agencies, the judiciary and other institutions within the FCT Administration.
“We are going to serve them the final notice as regards compliance with the provision of land use and Abuja Master Plan,’’ he said.
The coordinator with other top management staff of the FCT Administration went round the city.
During the outing, the officials distributed notice letters to all hotels, guest inns and houses as well as brothels, informing them of the new policy which will take effect later this month.
(NAN)