One of the major Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) hotel in Nigeria, Eko Hotels and Suites has taken a giant stride to make a signature statement with the launch of it eco-friendly practical campaign as part of its celebration of the Earth Day.
The event which is another innovative spike to not only express the management resolve to go greener also shows the hotel commitment to conserve energy, manage water and protect the environment through the planting of trees to help reduce the effect of climate change that result to global worming.
The eco-friendly event which rallied people from all walk of life also hosted 10 student finalist drawn for different schools in Lagos for the eco friendly painting competition, were after two hours of sluging it out at a special room for the painting contest, three of the contestant were declared winners with cash prizes of N250,000, N200,000 and N100,000 for the first, second and third respectively, while the other went home with consolation prizes of an ipad and a certificate of participation.
Eko Hotels and Suites has raised the bar in the Nigerian hospitality industry, as The Board and Management made a corporate decision to officially embark on an Eco-friendly way of life.
Concerned about its immediate environment and the global community, Eko Hotels is determined to make considerable investment in ensuring a more eco-friendly culture is embedded into the daily operation of its business.
To this extent, they accept they have a responsibility not just to their shareholders, but also to their host community, future generations and the larger society, so they are committed to ensuring that their environment is preserved and properly catered to, promoting a healthier, safer and more sustainable business space.
Taking the bull by the horn, the hotel’s staff have undergone several weeks of training and re-orientation to make them environmentally responsible and conscious of how we affect our environment.
They are being equipped with the necessary tools required to aid them in leading the change towards an eco-friendly hotel and they are championing the eco-friendly drive with keen interest.
Energy consumption has significantly reduced, several water conservation practices have been adopted, gradually, utensils/amenities are being replaced with biodegradable options and hundreds of children are being sensitised on the need to reduce our carbon footprint.
In a remark at the during the Earth day event, the Chairman, Mr Christopher Chagoury said “We are far more than just a global and local leader, we are the equivalent of a community that hosts over 500,000 Clients each year providing them with water, energy, food and a hospitable environment.
With ‘Eco’ right in our DNA, the board of directors decided it was time to expose our guests to a more caring and greener lifestyle. We want to share the opportunity to experience what a greener, more wonderful world could be.
The Managing Director of Eko Hotels Limited, Mr GHassan Faddoul said the hotel is open to explore any partnership with other hotels in Lagos. We are expecting any interested stakeholders to come for a meeting on how to jointly fight the issue of trash and plastic that litter our sea and lagoon in Lagos.
Prince Oniru saw the green campaign undertaken by Eko hotel and Suites as a step that the Lagos state government should be part of to make it sustainable and all inclusive venture.
He blame the elite in Lagos for the plastic litters on our sea, Lagoons and other water ways, saying that most of the elite builds and buys houses along the coast line and it will interest you that mist of them do not have waste bin or where to dispose their garbage than the Lagoon and this is part of the problem we face daily in Lagos.
Olu Amoda a professor of art, also see the involvement of students in the eco-friendly campaign through the art painting competition as a step in the right direction in encouraging the young at heart to carry on the bid.
According to Amoda, “it will go along way if Eko Hotels can take it to the next level by creating a museum for the work of art of the students yearly so it can also become a source of not only encouragement for also source of inspiration for others.
In his remarks, Wale Adebiyi of Recyclers enjoined the Eko Hotels management to put data in whatever they do to enable them know the success achieved and also know what level is left to go.
“Statistics representation is a sure way to know the level of effort you have put into the eco friendly campaign and that will give you a data content to measure your effort in real time.
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