Politics
Hotel Licence Bill RSHA Cautions Against Multiple Taxation Of Investors
Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have called for a critical look at the proposed bill on the establishment of state hotel licence agency to avoid multiple taxations that would chase away investors in the state.
The lawmakers made their views known during the debate on the state Hotel Licence Bill, 2009 after it passed its second reading at the floor of the House, last Wednesday.
The lawmakers were of the opinion that having a hotel licence agency in the state would make the state’s law on tourism development ineffective, adding that the Tourism Bill passed by the House had already captured the intention of the proposed bill as well as the interest of the state in that regard.
Taken lead on the debate, Hon. Golden Chioma, (Etche I) while commending the sponsor of the bill for his courage, observed that page 19 of the bill if passed into law would create a difficult environment for hotel operators in the state.
According to him, the N1 million proposed charge imposed per room annually for five star hotels would adversely affect the operators of the business in the state, adding that the bill would not encourage the tourism programme of the present administration.
“Section 19 of the bill if passed into law, would make some hotels in the state like the Presidential Hotel not to be in existence. We are supposed to encourage investors and not to chase them out. The one million naira charges as proposed in this bill would make hotel business in the state a difficult one”, he stated.
He therefore, urged his colleagues to take a second look at the matter so as to encourage business sustainability in the state.
Also speaking, Hon. Henry Ogiri (Abua/Odual), Tamunosisi Gogo Jaja (Opobo/Nkoro) and Hon. Maureen Tamuno (Ogu/Bolo) stated that multiple taxes through the establishment of the licence agency would discourage hotel business as well as affect tourism development in the state.
The lawmakers suggested that relevant agencies and authorities should be consulted before passing the bill into law, so as to avoid unnecessary levies and taxes to be imposed on hotel operators as doing otherwise was capable of crippling hotel business activities in the state.
They also urged the House to tarry a while before passing the bill into law, adding that before a hotel was established in any state, it must pass a registration process through the National Tourism Development Board.
However, in their own views, Hon Chidi Lloyd (Emohua), sponsor of the bill and Hon. Hope Ikiriko (Ahoada West) explained that the essence of the bill was to document customers that check into hotels in the state.
The lawmakers were of the opinion that most of the crimes in the state were been perpetrated by some people who checked into various hotels in the state and carry out their nefarious activities without being noticed.
They opined that the bill when passed into law would promote sanity in hotel operations in the state. The lawmakers pleaded with their colleagues to give the bill the support it deserved so that the state would benefit from the intention of the bill.
In his ruling, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Tonye Harry who presided over the session, thanked the lawmakers for their contributions during the debate.
Hon Harry while committing the bill into the committee state directed the House Committee on Commerce and Industry chaired by Hon. Emmanuel Okatta to ensure that all the sentiments raised by the lawmakers on the bill were taken into consideration.
Anita Aluka
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the list of candidates for the 2027 governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections from Saturday, August 8, to Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
The commission announced the extension in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna.
According to INEC, the decision followed appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the submission process through the dedicated online portal.
“The submission window, which according to the revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the General Election was originally scheduled to close on Saturday, 8th August, 2026, has been extended to Tuesday, 11th August, 2026,” the commission said.
In a a related development, INEC announced the suspension of PVC collection in Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The commission said voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced Permanent Voter Cards would have until midnight on Sunday, August 9, to print downloadable copies of their cards.
The electoral body explained that the deadline was necessary to enable it compile data on downloaded PVCs and produce final statistics on the total number of cards collected ahead of the election.
INEC said PVC collection in Osun commenced at the Registration Area level from July 22 to 28, 2026, but was extended to July 31 following complaints about large crowds and difficulties experienced by voters at collection centres.
The exercise subsequently moved to the local government level and ran from August 1 to 7.
The commission also disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs had been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas following the theft of cards during attacks on the two collection centres.
It stressed that the stolen cards could not be used to vote.
INEC reassured Osun residents of its preparedness for the August 15 governorship election.
“The commission reiterates that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
“INEC reassures the people of Osun State of its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election on 15th August, 2026,” the statement said.
The commission said the deadline, initially set for Saturday, 8 August, has been extended to Tuesday, 11 August 2026, following appeals from political parties for more time.
INEC also announced that the window for voters who applied to replace lost, damaged or defaced PVCs to download their replacement cards will close at midnight on Sunday, 9 August.
The move is to enable the commission compile final PVC collection figures ahead of the 15 August Osun governorship election.
INEC said replacement downloadable PVCs have also been provided to affected voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas after hoodlums carted away cards from two collection centres, stressing that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
The commission reaffirmed its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election in Osun State.
Gov. Kefas made the remarks over the weekend at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo, during the flag-off of the second phase of the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach in Taraba State, organised as part of activities marking Prof. Yilwatda’s 58th birthday.
The governor commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing to mark his birthday by providing medical care to people in need.
“What Professor Nentawe did is a powerful demonstration of what leadership should be,” Gov. Kefas said.
He assured that his administration would continue to support initiatives that complement government efforts to improve healthcare delivery and the wellbeing of residents.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Yilwatda called on Nigerian leaders to embrace the culture of giving and use their positions to touch the lives of the less privileged.
He said his decision to celebrate his 58th birthday in Taraba State was deliberate and informed by the needs of underserved communities, particularly people who face difficulties accessing healthcare because of distance and financial constraints.
According to him, the intervention followed a needs assessment and was extended across the three senatorial districts of the state.
He said the exercise commenced on August 3 at Takum General Hospital and covered the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Wukari; First Referral Hospital, Sunkani, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area; General Hospital, Bali; General Hospital, Gembu; and FMC Jalingo.
Prof. Yilwatda said the intervention provided medical services to thousands of beneficiaries, including people who required surgical procedures.
He said sustainable national development could only be achieved when strong institutions placed Nigerians at the centre of development.
“Leadership is about service,” he said, urging political and public leaders to make giving back to society an important part of their responsibilities.
He reaffirmed his commitment to serving Nigeria and its people, saying his personal vision was to make every day of his life useful to humanity.
“Every day that I live, the vision is: let it be useful to humanity,” he said.
The Taraba State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bordiya Buma, commended the initiative, saying it was consistent with the Renewed Hope agenda and efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery in the state.
Dr Buma said the second phase followed the successful completion of the first phase, which was conducted simultaneously in six local government areas, with two LGAs selected from each of the three senatorial districts.
According to him, more than 10,000 patients were attended to during the first phase, including people with medical and surgical conditions.
He disclosed that 327 general surgeries, 71 eye surgeries and 575 dental procedures were carried out during the exercise.
The commissioner expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach and thanked Prof. Yilwatda for supporting the initiative and choosing Taraba State as a beneficiary.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, also commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing Taraba State to mark his 58th birthday through a medical outreach.
Prof. Pate said making healthcare the centrepiece of the birthday celebration was significant because health affects everyone.
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