LAGOS – Mr Lanre Awoseyin, the President of Nigerian Hotel Association (NHA), on Thursday clamoured for a reversal in the recent increase of electricity tariffs for hoteliers in the country.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”8″]
Awoseyin told to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone that the tariff raise was authorised by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
“The increment is outrageous as it is an hundred per cent raise.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
“For instance, hoteliers who before now pay N750,000 as electricity tariff now pay N1.5 million.
“The sharp increment could lead to hoteliers relieving themselves through massive retrenchment of staff, thereby leaving many Nigerians jobless.
“Hoteliers are now having it rough as there are complaints about the cost of operations before the [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]recent electricity tariffs increment.
“They spend a lot on diesel as they experience incessant power outage which they have to pay for [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]again,’’ Awoseyin said.
According to him, the increment can also affect the quality of services the hoteliers render to their customers.
“Hoteliers have come up with complaints that at the end of the month they have a lot of bills to settle.
“They are just recovering from the low patronage suffered last year as a result of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease outbreak but which has been overcome,’’ he said.
The president then, pleaded with NERC to rescind its decision on the increase and consider the hardship it would add to hoteliers’ existing problems.
According to him, the increase if not immediately reversed, can add to the current unemployment problem in Nigeria. (NAN)
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