Kwara govt inaugurates task force on hospitality industry reforms

The Kwara State Government has inaugurated a Taskforce on Hospitality Reforms, with a view to repositioning the state’s hospitality and Tourism industry, THE PRIME NEWS reports.

The inauguration, at the Conference Room of the State Ministry of Communications in Ilorin, brought together key stakeholders and government officials.

Speaking at the event, the Chairperson of the Taskforce and Commissioner for Communications, Bolanle Olukoju, said the reforms are part of the ongoing rural and urban renewal project of the Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration.

She said the initiative was designed to restore sanity to the industry and to create an enabling environment for investment and tourism.

“This administration, under the leadership of Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, is committed to raising the bar in the hospitality and Tourism sector. With this Taskforce, we are determined to ensure that Kwara’s hospitality industry is modern, well-regulated and competitive with global standards,” the commissioner stated.

Speaking further, Mrs Olukoju said the Taskforce comprises seasoned professionals and the representatives of relevant regulatory agencies, and its mandate is to sanitise, regulate and reform the sector.

“The Taskforce comprises representatives from the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency (KWEPA) and Kwara State Hospitality Management and Tourism Board (KWHMTB), Kwara State Geographic Information Service (KWGIS), Kwara State Signage and Advertising Agency (KWASAA), Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) and Kwara State Fire Service,” she said.

THE PRIME NEWS reports that Olukoju said the committee will work with some national regulatory bodies, such as the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHTOUR).

In her remarks on behalf of the members, the Secretary of the Kwara State Hospitality Management Board, Akanni Adenike, commended the governor for the bold step to reform the industry.