The State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, has on Thursday distributed other palliative measures approved for practitioners in the industry to drive the growth of hospitality, tourism and entertainment businesses in the state.
This is following the announcement by the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu that the sum of N1bn was approved as seed capital for investment in the tourism sector.
The commissioner clarified some grey areas in the earlier pronouncement made by the governor on the recommendations submitted by the state COVlD-19 Pandemic Review Committee constituted to critically assess and review the negative impacts of’ the pandemic on tourism sector.
According to her, the gesture aims at providing key operators in the tourism business with soft loans to boost their capacity in driving growth and also position tourism business as a new Frontier For job creation and economic prosperity in the post-Coronavirus era.
Akinbile explained that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture would work, hand in hand with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) to administer the single digit loan to practitioners that meet the criteria set by the Ministry and LSETF.
Highlighting other measures put in place to guarantee quick recovery of the tourism sector, Akinbile-Yusuf said the incentives include 50 per cent rebate for licence and renewal fees payable to the Ministry by all hospitality, tourism and entertainment establishments across the state.
Others are: “The establishment of a platform to commence working relationship with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) For access to COVID-19 tourism sector Fund, a Creative Financial Initiative Fund to be made available to practitioners in the State.”
The establishment of Tourism Endowment Fund in conjunction with the Ministry of Justice, to improve the tourism and entertainment sector in the state; and training of practitioners in the creative industry through the Lagos Creative Academy amongst others.
She adds, “The Commissioner reminded practitioners in the hospitality and entertainment industry that the window of opportunity to register their establishments with the ministry is still open.
She, however, told practitioners that the relief programmes can only be accessed by registered practitioners.
She emphasised that no hospitality establishment will be allowed to operate in the state without due registration with the ministry.
While appreciating the governor for increasing the number of people allowed in social gatherings to a maximum of 50 persons, the commissioner stressed that the directive signals a gradual recovery of activities in the entertainment and creative sector.
Akinbile further pleaded with the practitioners not to abuse the privilege or misconstrue this additional easing of the lockdown as a means to open up. noting that night clubs and beaches remain closed until further directive from the state governor.
