The Anambra State Ministry of Culture, Entertainment and Tourism has reminded operators of hotels and similar places of business to register with the state government, obtain operational licences and submit monthly guest lists, warning that failure to comply would attract significant penalties under existing law.
In a press release signed by the Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Barrister Udoji Amedu, the ministry cited Section 7 of the Secret Cult and Similar Activities Prohibition Law 2024, which requires all hotels, night clubs, guest houses, drinking places and similar establishments in the state to register with the relevant ministry within three months of the law’s commencement, after which a Certificate of Registration would be issued upon payment of the prescribed fee.
Under the law, any business that fails to register will be liable to a penalty of one hundred thousand naira for every month of non-compliance and one million naira for every six months of non-compliance. Businesses that remain non-compliant beyond a year face shutdown by the State Security Service.
On the submission of guest lists, the release explained that operators who fail to submit monthly lists to the Ministry and relevant security agencies would face a penalty of one hundred thousand naira for every month of default, with shutdown by the ministry in collaboration with the State Security Service imposed if the failure to submit continues for six months.
The ministry urged all concerned operators to act without further delay to enable the government to better serve citizens, residents and visitors.
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