Eko Signature hotel , a boost to Lagos state policies- Fashola

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has said that the newly commissioned Eko Signature, a part of the Eko Hotels and Suites in Victoria Island, represents a vote of confidence in the policies and programme of the state government.

Speaking with journalists after commissioning the 166 rooms addition to the Eko Hotels and Suites, Fashola said the new outfit represents a vote of confidence in the policies and the programme that the State Government has implemented towards ensuring that businesses thrive.

“From my part, it represents the vote of confidence in the policies and the programmes that the government in the state has implemented towards ensuring that businesses thrive here, polices of efficiency, service delivery, access to justice, protection of citizens rights, proprietary and personal and I think that security of life and property”.

He explained that as a deliberate policy, the State created for the first time a Ministry of Tourism because of its belief that it is a sector that has not been fully and appropriately measured and its potentials have not really come on stream.

“As the transport assets improves, tourism is all about destination, if you can’t get there, there is no tourism so as the transport assets that we are building road, rail and ferry increase in sufficient quantity, we would see the full impact of these but also as a government we are helping to harmonise the payment of operational cost, levies, business taxes in a way that it is easy and conducive for businesses”.

“The message that is coming to me is that the rates are reasonable but the administrative processes for paying them are proving some challenge. We have harmonized that as a government”, Fashola stated

The Governor noted that the new hotel is a kind of investment that creates cascading opportunities for not only people who would be directly employed there but people whose businesses would be defined by what happens there.

The Governor’s sentiment was shared by the chairman of Eko Hotels, Mr. Richard Herb as he said that the Eko Signature is a giant stride in their commitment to sustain the state’s prime vision of placing Lagos State in the list of recognized mega-cities of the world.

While noting that the peace and serene environment provided by the Lagos State Government created necessary impetus for the growth in the state, he said the company has provided direct employment to close to 200 graduates thereby providing for the well-being of the citizenry.

“Indeed, the peace and serene environment provided by the Lagos State Government created necessary impetus for the said growth as Tourism is fragile and it responds negatively to inclement environmental situation.

It is the growth so created and the prospective growth in the Industry that encouraged the expansion of our business by the creation of Eko Signature.”

Richard Herb disclosed that the new Hotel is equipped with the state of art facilities to further enshrine their emerging taste for quality and excellent service in the hospitality industry.