By Uchenna Eletuo
Some proprietors of event centres in Lagos on Saturday complained about poor patronage of their outfits due to lockdown imposed to flatten the spreading curves of the coronavirus.
The relaxation centres owners, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, said they had laid off many of their workers because of the movement restriction order.
Mr Chike Asusu, Director of Double Day Events and Confessionary, at FESTAC said that he closed shop since the beginning of the lockdown in March, in line with the government order.
He said that since then, no form of income has been coming to him.
Asusu described the hospitality industry as worst hit by the lockdown.
“Lack of patronage of the centres, has compelled owners of many event centres to lay off workers so as to cut overhead.
“Three months running now, we have been without business.
“I managed to keep my 20 workers for the first two months of the lockdown, hoping the whole thing will be over soon while maintaining utility bills in the place.
The centre director, who decried the lockdown, stressed that no fewer than 10,000 jobs have been lost in the hospitality industry due to the lockdown in the state.
He appealed to the state government to assist the hospitality industry operators with bailout fund for the hospitality sector, in the post lockdown so as to return to business.
Also, Mr James Amadi, an outdoor catering service provider and event manager, said that social events have been greatly hindered by the lockdown.
Amadi, who services Lagos Trade Fair market and environs, said that people that fixed events before the lockdown, have put them off.
He said that this has rendered many operators redundant and unable to meet their obligations.
“Normally I hired five caterers, three event venue decorators, three DJs and 12 ushers and all of them are been weekly.
But, without jobs these days, it has been difficult to keep them hence we laid them off.
“The tempo of the business will determine who among them that will be called back in the post lockdown,’’ he said. (NAN)