More shocking details have emerged in the ongoing imbroglio going on at the prestigious Federal Palace Hotel between the staffers and the management. Sahara Weekly’s check on Thursday, January 29, 2015 revealed that trouble started weeks back when the workers complained of poor working condition and paltry sum being paid as salary.
While speaking with us, some of the staffers complained that the management pay them like N60, 000 out of which they deduct illegal tax to the tune of N25, 000. Aside that, the management was deducting another N7, 500 from their salary since the last quarter of last year. According to them, when they challenged them, they claimed they have over paid them in years past and as such deducting that from their salary.
Another staffer revealed that it’s so sad that the management collected N7, 500 from them for identity card which ought to be a free service. We also learnt that most of the staff have health issues because they are always in the chiller but were denied basic amenities like tea or hot water. “I can tell you that we have lost about four staffers within the year (the names are withheld by us as a means of honoring the departed souls), and can you believe that their entitlement was just a month’s basic salary”
“That’s why we have decided to paralyzed activities here and since Tuesday the hotel has been shut down. Until they respond to our demands, we would allow them to operate.”
Meanwhile, checks by us revealed that the management has engaged the services of the Nigeria Police Force to help maintain law and order.
Investigation by us revealed that since the closure of the 5 star hotel on Tuesday, they have incurred a running loss of over N20million both financially and other wise as the casino too along with other activities were were grounded to a halt. The once bubbling hotel was as deserted as a graveyard.
On Thursday, January 30, 2015, we contacted the hotel management but they simply replied that they would get back to us. They claimed it’s not a conducive period for discussion now.
The Federal Palace Hotel is a 150-room hotel that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, located in the commercial hub of Victoria Island in Lagos, Nigeria. Established in 1960 as the country’s premier international hotel, it was originally owned by the Victoria Beach Hotel, as part of the A. G. Leventis trading group.Considered “a landmark of the Lagos metropolis” the hotel is notable for having been the setting for the signing of Nigeria’s Declaration of Independence. it has been a Sun International property since 2007