Mr Maxwell Eze, the owner of exquisite Abuja-based nightclub, Caramelo Bar, has expressed his dismay after government officials destroyed his N500 million bar.
According to a report by Premium Times, officials from the Social Development Office on Monday demolished the night club, barely two days after a demolition notice was issued.
The club owner blamed one Bello Mohammed for the demolition, even as he blamed the authorities for failing to consider the country’s flailing economy and the many workers who would go jobless because of the demolition.
According to the report, none of the officials were able to give reasons why the club was demolished. Efforts to get get them to give explanations were ignored.
The backstory: The demolition came after the bar was raided and about 34 women arrested for prostitution on April 19. Following the incident, which generated a lot of uproar across the country, the Police and Abuja City Administration issued a statement saying they were on a mission to rid the nation’s capital of prostitution and other acts they deemed immoral.
The location of the structure wasn’t approved? According to comment from the city’s administration, Caramelo Bar was built on a piece of land marked for a hospital or school by the town planning office, an arrangement that was breached for the seven years the club was erected on the land.
Sharing his disappointment, Mr Eze alleged that the officials’ action was deliberate.
“They just destroyed N500 million in a struggling economy, this is deliberate sabotage of this country’s economy.
“At least 105 Nigerians were in direct employment at Caramelo, with the lowest paid not getting below the minimum wage.
“Now, not only the 105 people have been rendered jobless, our suppliers and other indirect labourers will have to find ways to earn a living for themselves and families.”
The company has been registered for over 7 years: According to some workers at Caramelo Bar, the business was properly registered by the authorities, even as it paid federal taxes and other levies to at least 15 offices.
This is a deliberate sabotage of an economy struggling were many of its citizens are unemployed while those who try to make ends meet are underemployed..my warm heart goes to does who have been deprived of there jobs..may God provide you guyz with a more payable jobs than these..Amen