Former Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu has been lambasted for the collapse of the state-owned Shiroro Hotel.
Aliyu was said to have “killed” Shiroro Hotel with his approval of N500 million for the construction of another hotel.
Narrating the ordeal of the state in the hands of the former governor during a stakeholders meeting, the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Jonathan Vatsa, said the abandonment of the edifice and “unnecessary” approval of over N500 million for a new hotel led to its collapse.
It should be recalled that the popular Shiroro Hotel, described then as the pride of the northern states, was commissioned by former President Shehu Aliyu Shagari in May 1981.
According to Aliyu: “I can tell you categorically that former Governor Babangida Aliyu deliberately killed the hotel after the masses cried out to the state House of Assembly on his failed plan to sell the hotel to his elder brother.
“The outcry by Nigerlites necessitated his abandonment of the edifice and the unnecessary approval of over N500 million by Aliyu for the construction of a new hotel that cannot be habited.
“We want to reposition the hotel because it is currently operating at a loss after deliberate abandonment by previous administrations.”
Furthermore, Vatsa said the state government was ready to buy shares from the stakeholders since it has 41.90 per cent of the shares.
He further said the hotel’s management has been directed to within three weeks come up with a blueprint on how to reposition it, adding: “The state is ready to partner with investors to reposition the hotel.”
He expressed sadness over the situation the current administration inherited the hotel from the immediate past administration, noting that relevant stakeholders have promised to put in place measures to reposition it.
One of the Directors, Aminu Mohammed, who is also a stakeholder, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the meeting, adding that things will get better in few months time.
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