By Jimoh Babatunde

The Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) has said that biometric system of identification in hotels will go a long way in stemming the increasing rate of criminal activities in the industry.

Woodridge Hotel: One of the bars in the 97 room hotel located in the reception. The reception is tastefully furnished with eyes appealing furniture. Woodridge hotel, Lagos is a full service hotel made up of standard, diplomatic rooms as well as junior and woodridge club suits.

The Director General of the NTDC, Otunba Segun Runsewe, said this when executive of the Hotel Owners Forum in Abuja visited him at the Tourism Village.

According to the NTDC Boss, “a biometric system of identification will be put in place in Hotels across the country to capture the identity of visitors checking into hotels while NTDC will serve as the central data base”.

Speaking further, The NTDC Boss explained that the measure will also include workers whose personal information will be captured via the technology and stored in a central data base stating that such records will come in handy in the event of any staff absconding.

Runsewe said this was important given the spate of rising insecurity in hotels across the country asserting that it was affecting the industry negatively.

Otunba Runsewe also berated hotels without signpost stating that they were haven for fraudsters to perpetrate criminal activities sometimes with the collusion of owners of such unidentifiable hotels.

Speaking earlier, the HOFA President, Engr. Onofiok Ekong said, “We want to work with NTDC and other tiers of government to guarantee peace and security, with emphasis on a preventive rather than a reactive approach”.

The HOFA president also added that, “we are planning on insisting on proper identification of guest using our hotels. With the availability of a credible voter’s card, every guest will very soon be required to show either voters card or internationally accepted travel documents at the point of checking into our hotel. If need be, we shall seek for legal backing on this policy from the National Assembly through NTDC”.