The Nigeria Hotel Association, Imo State chapter, has applauded the Federal Government’s ban on the patronage of hotels, brothels, and motels by underage girls.
The Chief Servant of the association in Imo, Mr. Chima Chukwunyere, disclosed this to newsmen in Owerri on Thursday.
Chukwunyere was reacting to a decision of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, conveyed by the minister, Mrs. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, in a meeting held with the national leadership and state chairmen of the association in Abuja last Wednesday.
Chukwunyere said the minister frowned upon the lodging, bullying, and abuse of underage girls in hotels and placed a ban on their use of such facilities.
He added that hoteliers are advised to display a notice of prohibition of underage females from using their facilities and to present the Federal Government Age Declaration form to suspected underage females to ascertain their real age before they check into hotels.
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He called on all hoteliers in Imo to abide by the decision, as serious sanctions will be imposed on defaulters by a mobile court established across the states of the federation by the minister.
He said: “The minister, while addressing us, harped on the need for holistic partnership with hoteliers across the country to shut down brothels and checkmate the spate of abuse of underage girls in hotels and motels.”
He said: “To this end, hoteliers must put their eyes to the ground to ascertain the actual activities of customers and devise means of protecting young girls from perpetrators of child trafficking, drug abuse, sex for grades, and other vices.”
He warned that under no condition should any student in a school uniform be found in a hotel or similar facility where alcohol is sold, adding that such outfits, when found, shall be shut down and made to face the mobile court.
Chukwunyere, however, added that although times were tough, hoteliers must synergize with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs to ensure that the lives of children are saved and their morals preserved.