Oyo tourism board rallies hoteliers, others to deepen security awareness

Oyo State Tourism Board and its stakeholders have reached an agreement to raise awareness and deepen security statewide.

The pact, which birthed the phase two of the ‘Oyo state hospitality sector sensitisation project’, will have the Board, Hoteliers’ Association of Oyo State, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigerian Immigration Service, State Intelligence Bureau and the Department of State Service, collaborate on security awareness.

Rising from a stakeholders’ meeting recently, chairman of the Board, Debo Adejumobi, and president of the hoteliers’ association, Ayodele Ogundele, hinted of the plan to embark on a statewide sensitisation across the 11 local government areas in Ibadanland from March to April, 2023. Other zones, which have Iseyin, Saki, Ogbomoso, Oyo, and Ibarapa, had been completed in phase one that was held in 2022.

The Board noted that the sensitisation would awaken the consciousness of Hotel owners to the dangers of drug abuse, cybercrime, human trafficking, and kidnapping. It will also sensitise hotel owners on the benefits of joining the hoteliers’ association.

Adejumobi said: “We need to ensure safety in our hotels and other related facilities as security of lives is paramount to the state government. The essence of collaborating is to create a bona fide hospitality sector, where rules and regulations are strictly observed. No one should be checked-in in any hotel without proper identification and documentation.”