By VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG & LAZARUS IBEABUCHI

ORGANISED Labour in the hospitality industry under the umbrella of Hotel and Personal Services Senior Staff Association, HAPSSSA, has decried the state of insecurity and unstable power supply in the country, saying insecurity and unstable power supply are undermining the growth of hotel business in the country.

This came as the association called on the government to revamp the tourism sector, arguing that the sector is a huge money spinner for the nation, instead of solely depending on oil.

In a briefing in Lagos, President of HAPSSSA, Comrade Micah Isaiah, challenged government to tackle the rising insecurity and unstable power supply among others, to assist in improving industry standard in the country.

He said, “Insecurity and poor power supply is draining hotel revenue. Over 30 per cent of revenue is spent on alternative power supply. This is minus the rate paid for electricity consumption. Also, Boko Haram for instance has led to the fall of the hospitality industry in the North.

It is quite unfortunate that in Nigeria, we have a lot of resources to generate income for us, why then devoting much time on crude oil? The government should diversify into other sectors. The tourism sector is dying, meanwhile, the government can tap huge resources from it just like many other countries. So we appeal to government to live up to the challenge. If other sectors are opened up, more people will be engaged productively.”

Comrade Isaiah said it had been discovered that most hotels that are operating below standard were non-unionised hotels where slave labour had become fashionable, explaining that HAPSSSA has planned to begin massive unionization campaign, hence it was recruiting more manpower especially organizing secretaries to have enough manpower to confront the challenges in the industry with a view to improving industry standard.

“We are embarking on reorganization of the union and employment of more manpower. When this executive came on board last year, we saw that there was not a strong organization. So, we have decided to embark on secretariat reform by employing more organizing secretaries.

Also, we shall employ other manpower that will hold other key positions. We are transforming for the purpose of easy administration. As such, we have gotten Eastern, western and Northern zonal council. All these will be equipped with staff. This will not only help to reduce unemployment in the country, but will help re-organise the union for a better performance.”

“Also, we are trying to unionise all hotels in the country. Any industry that does not respect labour union is not doing well. If you go to those hotels where there are no unions, you will discover that there are no standards and rule of engagement.”