The Supreme Court has ruled that it is only a State House of Assembly that can make laws on tourism or licensing and grading of hotels, restaurants, fast food outlets and other hospitality establishments.[b]

A panel of the apex court judges on Friday unanimously dismissed the case filed by the Attorney General of the Federation and upheld the contention of the Attorney General of Lagos State, Ade Ipaye, that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, only empowers the National Assembly to regulate tourist traffic, a term which does not extend to hotel registration or licensing.

The Supreme Court declared valid both the Hotel Licensing Law of Lagos State (as amended) and the Hotel Occupancy and Restaurant Consumption Law of Lagos State, while the offending sections of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) Act were declared null and void.

The Lagos state government and federal government had been embroiled in controversy over the proper authority to license and grade hospitality establishments.

This had resulted in the NTDC and the state government setting up parallel registration and regulation structures in the state.

The Lagos Attorney General on behalf of the state government had argued during the hearing that the only power reserved to the National Assembly on the Exclusive Legislative List in Schedule 2 of the Constitution was the regulation of tourist traffic, which only pertained to immigrations and the issuance of visas.
[/b]
Representing the Attorney General of the Federation, Tunde Busari, contended that the phrase was enough to cover all tourism subjects and that the NTDC Act had therefore covered the field.

On those grounds, Mr. Busari called on the court to invalidate the Hotel Licensing Law and Hotel Consumption Tax Law of Lagos State.

The Court however ruled in favour of Lagos state in this case and also in another case filed on the same subject which was consolidated with the first one for hearing.

Justice Suleiman Galadima who read the lead judgment rejected the submissions made by Busari on behalf of the federal government in both cases, and dismissed the case.

By dismissing the case of the federal government, the apex court has put paid to this controversy and paved way for state governments to take full charge of tourism regulation and development within their respective jurisdictions.

Commenting on the judgment, the Commissioner for Tourism and Intergovernmental Relations in Lagos state, Disun Holloway declared the ruling as a landmark and commended the Supreme Court for upholding the tenets of Federalism.

He added that the judgment will eradicate multiplicity of taxation and regulation, thereby enabling states to take charge and properly plan for the hospitality industry in their respective territories.

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/07/19/fg-loses-control-of-hotels-tourism-to-states/




Eko o ni baje o...

How do you properly adjudicate on behalf of the citizenry with poor understanding and interpretation of your own laws..?

The NFG is a joke..

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...!!!

This can't be right! It is miscarriage of justice meant to embarrass GEJ and FG. It is handiwork of "Tinubu" and Justice Salami. They want to steal our oil. We no go gree...we must divide this country.

Now, seriously, this is a biiiiig landmark judgment. I am so so happy. I hope and pray that more of such court judgements will help devolve the highly illegal and unnecessary concentrated in the centre. In particular ministries of agriculture, education, oil and solid minerals. The centre needs to be leaner and more of internal affairs regulatory and foreign projection oriented.

homerac7: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...!!!

This can't be right! It is miscarriage of justice meant to embarrass GEJ and FG. It is handiwork of "Tinubu" and Justice Salami. They want to steal our oil. We no go gree...we must divide this country.

Now, seriously, this is a biiiiig landmark judgment. I am so so happy. I hope and pray that more of such court judgements will help devolve the highly illegal and unnecessary concentrated in the centre. In particular ministries of agriculture, education, oil and solid minerals. The centre needs to be leaner and more of internal affairs regulatory and foreign projection oriented.

what is all the drama for?
Yes,the centre should be as lean as possible which should be as a result of true federalism,where niger-delta resources is used by the niger-delta for their own development instead of feeding parasites.

Eko Ile: How do you properly adjudicate on behalf of the citizenry with poor understanding and interpretation of your own laws..?

The NFG is a joke..

That's democracy at work where arising conflict and interpretation of the constitution is properly adjudicated upon by competent court of jurisdiction ...

Beauty of democracy they call it ...

homerac7: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...!!!

This can't be right! It is miscarriage of justice meant to embarrass GEJ and FG. It is handiwork of "Tinubu" and Justice Salami. They want to steal [b]our oil. We no go gree...we must divide this country[/b]

Now, seriously, this is a biiiiig landmark judgment. I am so so happy. I hope and pray that more of such court judgements will help devolve the highly illegal and unnecessary concentrated in the centre. In particular ministries of agriculture, education, oil and solid minerals. The centre needs to be leaner and more of internal affairs regulatory and foreign projection oriented.

What is dis ijiot making NOISE over? This is a good development. I bliv All of us wish that d Centre becomes leaner (though still relatively Strong) while more Resources and Responsibilities go to the Constituent parts; and d fact, that disputes bw Tiers of Govt are resolved in such a constitutional and amicable manner as d above case, is a huge positive reflection of the extent of our deepening Democracy..

homerac7: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...!!!

This can't be right! It is miscarriage of justice meant to embarrass GEJ and FG. It is handiwork of "Tinubu" and Justice Salami. They want to steal our oil. We no go gree...we must divide this country.

Now, seriously, this is a biiiiig landmark judgment. I am so so happy. I hope and pray that more of such court judgements will help devolve the highly illegal and unnecessary concentrated in the centre. In particular ministries of agriculture, education, oil and solid minerals. The centre needs to be leaner and more of internal affairs regulatory and foreign projection oriented.

lol.. Nice sense of humor

taharqa2: What is dis ijiot making NOISE over? This is a good development. I bliv All of us wish that d Centre becomes leaner (though still relatively Strong) while more Resources and Responsibilities go to the Constituent parts; and d fact, that disputes bw Tiers of Govt are resolved in such a constitutional and amicable manner as d above case, is a huge positive reflection of the extent of our deepening Democracy..

Haba mallam, wetin nah? se na my fault if you can't see the humour in it? Abi you no see say you and I are saying same thing ni? Na wa o, I know it is not so easy to deliver the mandate of "The 40".