Gov. Ambode Promises Creation of Jobs in Hospitality Sector

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Friday said his administration would take advantage of the huge potential available in the hospitality sector to create jobs for youths in the state.

Ambode said this at the official opening of The George Hotel, a hospitality centre in Ikoyi, Lagos.

He said the government would expand the frontiers of the hospitality industry in the state so as to attract investment.

According to him, the current economic realities in the country have made it necessary for the state to develop the non-oil sector to ensure sustainable revenue source.

Ambode said that relevant policies and incentives would be put in place to create an enabling environment for the development of the sector, which according to him is a key driver of his administration’s agenda.

“This occasion has reaffirmed the status of Lagos State as the first choice destination of investment. It also confirms the untapped opportunities in tourism and hospitality sector in Lagos State.

“Lagos State is known as the Centre of Excellence for a number of reasons. One of these is the accommodating nature of our people and the various tourism and recreation sites that abound in the state.

“We are committed to putting in place relevant policies and incentives that would create an enabling environment for the development of the hospitality sector as a key driver of our administration’s development agenda, ”he said.

The governor also called on other investors to key into the various opportunities that abound in the tourism belt spread across the state.

“Lagos is open for business. We assure you of the safety of your investments and we would continue working to make your investment worthwhile in all cases, ” he said.

Ambode commended the management of The George Hotel for investing in the provision of accessible road and street lighting within the location of the hotel as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility.

The governor handed a letter of commendation to the management of the hotel and said that same gesture would be accorded worthy citizens who contribute to the growth and development of the state.

In his remark, Mr Tien George, Chairman of the hotel, said that it was established with the intention of playing a key role in the development of tourism in Lagos as well as provide employment for the teeming youths in Lagos and Nigeria.

”We wanted to lift the hospitality business in Nigeria to a completely new pedestal. We believe it was not worth our trouble to do what everybody else has done, we needed to do something different. We wanted to show our young men and women that the best of the world was possible in Nigeria, ” he said.