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By Madu Obi
As part of the implementation of the newly passed Homeland Security Law, the Anambra State government directed all the Presidents General in the 179 communities to ensure that all hotel lodgers in their areas of control were identified on checking in.
Part of the law stipulates that hotel operators in the state must get full identification of all lodgers, make photo copies of same and submit to the Presidents General of the community where the hotel is located, every morning.
Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Homeland Security, Prince Ken Emeakayi, in a statement, spelt out some of the provisions of the law, urging hotel operators to ensure strict compliance to avoid sanctions.
The statement read: "All hotel owners must ensure that every guest lodging in their facility must submit a copy of any government means of identification like national identity card, international passports or voters card to the hotel.
"The hotel must photocopy all the documents and submit to the President General of the community who in turn, submits to the local government mayor and then to the state government.
Any hotel or guest house who fails to submit the documents will forfeit his or her lodging facility to the government and will equally answer for such offence."
Meanwhile, many have argued that with such law, hospitality business in the state may suffer huge loss, as most fun seeking lodgers may be unwilling to disclose their identity.
A hotel owner who spoke on condition of anonymity feared that the new low will greatly affect their business.
He said: "Apart from travellers, other people who come to lodge in hotels are people who may not wish to disclose their identity.
We are already crying that every weekend, hotels in neighbouring Asaba are fully booked by Anambra people and now they are bringing this law that will totally kill investments in the hospitality industry. This law is not good."
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