The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, warned hotels, restaurants, and event venues against unjustified price hikes and the cancellation of confirmed bookings during the ongoing December festivities.
Naijaonpoint reports that Sanwo-Olu, in an interview with TVC News on Monday, said the government will no longer tolerate vendors reneging on prior commitments due to higher offers.
According to the Governor, such illicit practices damage Lagos’ reputation as a leading cultural and tourism destination.
Sanwo-Olu stressed that not only will the government name and shame vendors who fall victim, but it will also take firm action against them.
He noted that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, and the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) have been fully briefed and are on standby to intervene.
He said, “This is unacceptable and will not be allowed in Lagos. “If a commitment has been made, especially where deposits or agreements exist, vendors must honour it. Cancelling bookings for higher bids undermines trust and hurts the image of our city.”
“If someone has booked a restaurant in the past four months and you have given a commitment that there is availability, why all of a sudden they are showing up, and you are saying something has changed because someone is offering a higher payment, this is not what we will accept or take in Lagos. You are spoiling our names and the reputation of our city.
“Not only are we going to name and shame people doing this, but the government is also going to come really hard on them.”