Ogun Offers Five Years Waiver To Hoteliers On Land Use, Amenities Charge

Towards settling arrears of their outstanding Land Use and Amenities Charge, the Ogun State Government has once again announced a 75 per cent discount to operators of hotels in the state.

The waiver, according to a statement made available to our correspondent, covers years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

With this gesture, all hotel owners are expected to pay the current year charge in full in addition to payment of 25 per cent of all arrears owed by such operators.

The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Finance, Alhaji Hassan Adekunle made this position of government known in Abeokuta at a meeting with members of the State chapter of Hoteliers Association of Nigeria.

He said the decision was a further demonstration of the current administration’s commitment to further entrench a friendly environment for investments and businesses to thrive in the state.

Adekunle recalled that as a means of coping with the debilitating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Government gave hoteliers 90 per cent rebate last year, maintaining that the enforcement of the Land Use and Amenities Charge was being pursued with human face.

“I want to remind us that in year 2020, the Government approved two categories of incentives to hoteliers in the State -90 per cent rebate on Year 2020 charge, and additional 75 per cent discount on all arrears up to December, 2019  to help them stabilize in the face of the biting effects of COVID-19 pandemic.

“You will all agree with me that this government is enforcing the Land Use and Amenities Charge with human face,” Adekunle stated.

In his remark, the representative of the Consultant to the State Government on Land Use and Amenities Charge, Mr. Ayo Ladigbolu disclosed that the charge in the State “is the cheapest when compared with what obtains in other states, particularly in the South West region.”

He further disclosed that to address the issues generated by the enforcement, a Customer Care Centre and dedicated Phone numbers have been made available in the Ministry of Finance to entertain complaints and suggestions from the public.

The President of the Association in the state, Otunba Segun Timi, who had earlier appealed for reopening of the sealed hotels, expressed his delight on the concession granted their members and commended the State government for the provision of various infrastructural amenities, which he noted had impacted positively on their businesses.

(theencounter)