Promise Gogorodari, owner of Prudent Hotel, Eleme, one of
the two hotels demolished by the Rivers state government, says he did not
breach the lockdown order in the state.
On Sunday, Prudent Hotel, Eleme, and Etemeteh Hotel, Onne,
were pulled down on the order of the Rivers state government for allegedly
violating the lockdown measures in the state.
Nyesom Wike, the governor who supervised the demolition, had
imposed a lockdown in the state and directed all hotels to suspend services
immediately as a measure to check the spread of COVID-19.
He had warned residents that failure to comply with the
order would attract stiff penalties.
But in an interview with The Punch, Gogorodari said he did
not violate any law with his business to warrant the demolition of the
property.
Gogorodari accused the government of not giving him fair
hearing, and said no investigation was carried out before the demolition of his
property.
The hotel owner said the incident has made his staff members
lose their jobs, and that it is a negative development for investors in the
state.
“I am based in Lagos but I am not in the right frame of mind
to speak now. There is nobody who will not feel bad about this. It is a hotel
that I built for the past seven years. The demolition of hotels is a setback to
the state in terms of investment,” he said.
“That was an investment that was taking care of my family
and relatives and people around me. There was no fair hearing before the
demolition took place. With this, many people are out of jobs.
“I did not violate any order. The government was supposed to
do some investigations before doing that. And if they found me wanting, then
another procedure should be followed; not demolishing a structure like that.”
Tope Akinyode, human rights lawyer, had condemned the
demolition of the hotels.
In a statement on Sunday, Akinyode faulted the governor’s
action, saying it is unlawful.
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