By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI—Imo State government has threatened to summarily shut any hotel operating below approved standard. It also warned against non-installation and use of relevant security devices.

Commissioner for Transport and Tourism, Mr. Ken Anaeme, read the riot act in Owerri, at a briefing on government’s tourism roadmap for the state.
“This measure is part of the state government’s effort to sanitise, strengthen and boost tourism in the state”, the Commissioner explained.

Anaeme, who debunked allegations of government imposition of N40,000 on each hotel proprietor in the state for the purchase of a piece of the nation’s flag, however explained that a neutral body, mutually selected by the government and the hoteliers, was in charge of the project.

“The N40, 000 levy was a product of mutual agreement between the hotel owners and the company in question”, Anaeme explained.

He identified  the economic benefits of tourism to include job creation, business promotion, site seeing, rural transformation and spiritual upliftment.
Chief Anaeme also disclosed that the state currently boasts of over 200 hotels and over 150 tourist sites, some either fully developed or undergoing development.