…Kogi Looses 60B Annually .
Lawal Shehu
Kogi Hotels reconstructed on a national monument to serve as tourist attraction centere stayed aloof and unutilized eight years after over 90% completion, with the state government owing hotels to the tune of 5Billion.
This was coming at a time when the outgoing state government is supposed to improve revenue generation using tourism as a veritable template for further development in line with the global practices.
Few days to the end of the present and outgoing administration and the high and influx of visitors officially and unofficially to the inauguration, with the backlog of debts owed to hotels in Lokoja and it’s environs, rather than using the opportunity to trigger more revenue, it is expected that Kogi government will inflict more liability on the state through payment of hotel bills while the confluence Hotels had turned to thugs , hoodlums, and marabouts abode under the guise of privatisation and outsourcing remained undeveloped.
With the extension a cynosure of blown off roofs, dilapidated structures, low productivity and understaffing that defines visitors experience to the highly revered tourist centre before now.
With the abandoned edifice and tourist centre and monuments scattered around Lokoja, the state capital, it is expected that the state government is loosing over 5B monthly in revenue through patronage of it’s hospitality outfits.
For eight years, the anticipated revenue generation of 50B in 2024, would have doubled by 480B, if Kogi Hotels and Kogi Confluence Hotels was fully utilised and functional to attract other infrastructural development to the state.
The Multi Billion and bonded Kogi Hotels located in the heart of Government Reserve Area could not be sold out or outsourced to cronies, as it is already committed to irrevocable agreements.
With the location and position of the new Kogi Hotels, it is easier and strategic to both government and private organizations visiting the state capital for high patronage, but for lack of foresight by the outgoing administration.
This is against the existence of same edifice both at the state and the FCT by neighboring states of Benue, Nassarawa, Kwara, Niger and Gombe state raking in billions in revenue.