From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Hoteliers association in Imo State have threatened to withdraw their services if the state Environmental Transformation Commission (ENTRACO) continue harassing and illegally collecting staggering fees from members.
Chairman of the hoteliers, Chima Chukwunyere alleged that the commission despite the ban on consultants from collecting revenues by the governor, had gone ahead to engage consultants to demand fees they ascribed as fines accrued since 2018 from hoteliers.
Chukwunyere said ENTRACO through its consultants had allegedly sealed 35 hotels in the state early in the year for failing to remit monies demanded as penalty for non-remittance of their levies.
“Government has ordered the disengagement of consultants, but they are still demanding illegal fees from us which ranges from N800, 000 to N1 million. And they have chosen to do this now when the fate of the hospitality business is shaky because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are calling on the state government to call them to order or we would shutdown all hotels in Imo,” Chukwunyere threatened.
