COVID-19: HOTELIERS GIVE FG CONDITIONS TO USE FACILITIES
Hoteliers in Nigeria have given the Federal Government conditions for the use of their facilities as isolation and quarantine centres in the admission and treatment of Coronavirus Patients in the country.
Recall that on Thursday, the Ministry of Health had said the Federal Government would require hotels and school hostels as quarantine and isolation centres because of inadequate bed space.
Hoteliers under the Hospitality and Tourism Management Association of Nigeria (HAFTAN) said they were ready to help and support the Government in this very difficult time but the Government must meet their conditions.
HAFTAN President, Mr Samson Aturu, said that the Government must decontaminate the facility after every covid-19 patient is discharged.
Aturu added that most hotels spend a lot on electricity bills, and the Government must bear all payments of such expenses.
“In collaboration with FTAN (Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria), we have had lots of discussion on this issue. Our position is that hotels can collaborate with the government because this is a matter of national interest. But the government must be ready to negotiate with hotel owners. The association does not have a direct authority on hotel owners because most hotels are owned by investors.
“Already, we have developed a standard operating procedure in these COVID-19 times which will be applied to all our hotels. The idea is that if a hotel is going to be used as an isolation centre, the facility must be decontaminated after a COVID-19 patient is discharged. This is one of the conditions for giving out hotels to the government to use as isolation centres.
“We don’t want a situation whereby we would allow hotels to be used as isolation centres and we would have to be begging the Government to pay the bills afterwards,” Aturu said.
According to the NCDC, as of May 31st, Nigeria has recorded 10,162 cases of covid-19.
Of the 10,162 cases, 6,868 are active and are on admission, 3,007 discharges have been made, and 287 deaths have recorded.
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