The Kwara State House of Assembly has raised concern over the increasing access of minors to hotels and pubs across Ilorin.

The lawmakers therefore urged Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to direct relevant ministries to launch public sensitization and enforce existing age restriction laws to help curb the anomaly.

The focus, they noted, should be on educating parents, schools, and the general public about the dangers of allowing minors unrestricted access to hotels and pubs.

The resolution followed a motion by Omotosho Olakunle Rasaq of Isin Constituency during plenary, who decried the growing trend of underage children frequenting hospitality establishments, especially during weekends and holidays.

The Assembly called for immediate inspection of all hospitality venues by the Ministry of Social Development and the State Hotel and Tourism Board.

It also directed its Committee on Information and Youth to engage hotel owners and ensure strict compliance with the Child Rights Act.

The lawmaker, while arguing the motion, noted that Ilorin is fast assuming the status of a cosmopolitan city, with a growing number of hospitality establishments.

He expressed concern that many of these establishments have become regular hangout spots for underage persons, especially during weekends and school holidays, largely due to the absence of age verification and restriction mechanisms.

The lawmaker lamented that this disturbing trend is gaining ground in areas such as Adewole, Tanke, Fate, Unity Road, Pipeline, Sango, and GRA, all within Ilorin, where children, some still in secondary school uniforms, are often seen entering these venues without being stopped.

He further warned that unchecked access to such places exposes minors to immoral, unhealthy, and dangerous behaviors including alcohol consumption, drug abuse, and other social vices that could harm their development and general well-being.

Rasaq blamed the trend on the inaction of regulatory bodies, lack of coordinated enforcement by security agencies, and weak parental supervision.

He said many hotel and pub operators are now driven solely by profit, neglecting their legal and moral responsibilities at the expense of societal values.

Daily Trust reports that the action of the lawmakers is coming in the wake of serious concerns over the issue by residents and stakeholders in the state.

Recently, a popular comedian in the country from Ilorin, Yahaya Habeeb Olatunji alias Dr. WhiteBerry, raised a similar alarm over the issue.

Dr. WhiteBerry described the issue as very disturbing as a comedian driving round Ilorin metropolis and witnessing the situation directly.

“I saw teenagers, girls and boys of about 15 years of age and even fewer, trooping into hotels and pubs in Ilorin and smoking drugs especially on weekends and during festivities. This is a ticking time bomb with serious consequences on the youth in the state and the government must rise to the occasion before it is too late”, he warned. (Weekend Trust)