By Matthew Ajai-Kume
The Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Hyacinth Dajoh has urged the House Standing Committees on Culture and Tourism and that of Lands Survey and Solid Minerals, to as a matter of urgency, visit the management of Sheraton Hotel, Makurdi in order to find ways of making the hotel more viable.
A statement made available to newsmen by the Speaker’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Raphael Akume stated that: “The Honorable Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Hyacinth Dajoh has directed the House Standing Committees on Culture and Tourism and that of Lands, Survey, and Solid Minerals to immediately visit Sheraton Hotel, Makurdi and liaise with the management and report back to the House on ways to get the hotel functional before 2023 runs out.”
According to the statement, the Speaker gave this directive lastTuesday when he embarked on a working visit to the facility and was conducted round by the Manager of the Hotel, Mr. John Amali .
The statement further stated that: “The Speaker was surprised why a place like the Sheraton Hotel, which shows an epic view of Makurdi City with a lot of tourism potentials, would be allowed to rot by past administrations.
The Speaker said it would be a disservice to late Aper Aku who built the facility if it is never put to use.
According to the statement, Mr John Amali of the King-D Nigeria Limited explained that, the management of the hotel has put in place all the necessary things to start using the hotel beginning with 150 rooms by November this year, if the Benue Government grants them the necessary support.
It would be recalled that, Sheraton Hotel, Makurdi was leased to King-D Nigeria Limited in the year 2010 for 30 years with the Benue State Government controlling 5% of the shares.
