Hotels Registration: Lagos Tussles with NTDC, Police IG

The Lagos State Government has objected to a press statement issued by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, and the Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, directing all hotels and hospitality establishments to register with the NTDC.

The directive stemmed from a joint press statement issued by the IGP and the NTDC boss on Monday, as part of the new security strategies being packaged by the new police chief.

NTDC had advertised its decision in the newspapers. But the state government said there was no legal or constitutional basis for the directive.

The Commissioner for Tourism and Inter-governmental Relations, Mr Disun Hollow, in a statement, insisted that hotels and similar establishments are subject to state jurisdiction and can only be registered and regulated by state agencies acting under state legislation.

Holloway said the subject, over which the Federal Government or the National Assembly can legislate, were clearly stipulated in the 1999 Constitution, and they do not in any way include the regulation of tourism or registration of hotels.

He said: “This expression encapsulates only the need to control immigration and monitor border formalities. Being a matter of national security concern, immigration is, understandably, placed on the Exclusive Legislative List.”

Holloway stressed that matters not included in the Exclusive or Concurrent Lists are regarded as residual matters and these are within the exclusive jurisdiction of the State Legislature and State Executive Agencies.

He acknowledged that the state was aware of ongoing security considerations of the Nigerian Police and appreciated the need for caution and vigilance. He urged hoteliers and other operators of hospitality establishments within the state to cooperate with safety measures implemented for the security of all residents and visitors.

“However, we are constrained to emphasise the fact that NTDC is not authorised to register or enforce the registration of hotels and other tourism establishments in Lagos State, even under the guise of security”, he said.

By Omolola Itayemi via THISDAY LIVE.

LAMATA, LASEPA set to tackle vehicle emission in Lagos

The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency(LASEPA) have initiated moves to mitigate the various environmental threats, including climate change and its resultant health hazards with a draft legislation on ambient and quality control, especially vehicular emissions.

 

Managing Director of LAMATA, Dr Dayo Mobereola who disclosed this at a stakeholder meeting on the review of draft legislation, said that “our Authority, in collaboration with LASEPA, is rising up to the challenge of combating the issue through standards setting, control and regulatory initiatives.”

“All over the world, it has been established that the transport sector is emerging as the fastest growing source of global Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. While efforts are being intensified globally towards addressing this major challenge, our state has the responsibility to take strategic steps in evaluating its own contribution to GHG emissions and implement effective mitigation and adaptation options in combating the growing scourge across the state,” Dr Mobereola stated.

He identified urban transport and industrial sectors as major sources of air and noise pollution, noting that there had been lack of accurate data in the recent past to quantify the amount of pollution load from such sources, until LAMATA conducted series of studies to arrive at the present level attained in the sector.

According to the recently conducted Lagos Air Quality Monitoring Study (2007-2009), vehicles contribute approximately 43 per cent of ambient air pollution in Lagos. It was equally discovered that the major air pollutant in the cities came from combustion of fossil fuels in all motorized vehicles.

Unfortunately, he said, the adverse effects of air pollution often fall disproportionately on the urban poor, with attendant health risks and hazards compounding the impact of other environmental problems such as lack of clean water and sanitation.

He said the damaging effect of air pollution on human health may include increases in the incidence of chronic heart and lung disease or even premature death.

Dr Mobereola, therefore, called for a concerted effort to sensitise stakeholders on awareness, knowledge and understanding of climate change issues; develop strategies for implementing sustainable urban transport through a transformation process geared towards greater inclusion of sustainability parameters such as safety, cleanliness and reliability, thereby removing barriers to emissions reduction within the transport sector.

via tribune.com.ng