All roads led to the sprawling complex of the secretariat of Kwara State council of National Union of Road Transport Workers on Tuesday when the union commissioned a multi-million naira hotel edifice.

The edifice located near the secretariat of the council along Ilorin International Airport, was a sight to behold if the modern facilities the hotel were equipped with, were anything to go by.

Arriving at the hotel premises with the fascinating outer structure would attest to the quality of facilities provided to ensure the comfort of prospective lodgers and users of the hotel.

The cost of the property, which was initially put at N150million in 2013 rose sharply to N180million as a result of brewing inflation and economic crisis.

The project, built at the instance of the state NURTW led by its chairman, Alhaji Aliyu Issa Ore, was primarily conceived to explore other areas of revenue generation with a view to shoring up the financial base of the council.

Available information showed that the multi-million hotel was second after the one pioneered by the national administrative council of the transport body.

At the commissioning of the hotel on Tuesday graced by creme de la creme of the society, encomiums poured in torrent for Ore led state council of NURTW for translating into reality what appeared to be a wishful thinking in the testimonies of speakers at the colourful event.

Speaking at the ceremony, NURTW President, Alhaji Usman Najim Yasin, said the commissioning was special, historical, adding that it was another milestone in the history of the union.

Yasin hailed Ore and members of his executive, saying it was a clear pointer to the laudable initiative of the state chairman.

He encouraged other state councils across the country to embark on similar project so as to widen their revenue sources.

He warned members of the union against rancour and acrimony, just as he pointed out that developmental projects would remain elusive in an atmosphere of uncertainty.

"We want to say that this project (the hotel) is a clear pointer to the laudable initiative of Issa Ore and members of his executive team. If other councils could emulate Kwara State by diversifying into similar projects, they would be of tremendous assets to the union", Yasin said.

The chairman, Zone 4 of the union, Chief Danjuma Jeji, who spoke in a similar tone, said it was high time state councils explore alternative sources of revenue rather than being stereotypical and awaiting returns from branches.

Jeji, who commended the bold step taken by the Kwara council of the union, said the NURTW has metamorphosed from an industrial union to a solid institution in the country.

"Today, I am overwhelmed with joy and fulfilled that one of the State Councils under my watch have responded to the clarion call by Mr President and seized the bull by the horn and embarked on the construction of this beautiful edifice that will stand the test of time.

"Indeed, the time is now ripe for all of us to take a second look at other areas of investment and make effective use of our time and resources at our disposal to explore more areas of revenue generation other than depending on the only sources available to the union, which cannot cater and sustain our teeming membership growing day in day out.

"Whether we like it or not, NURTW today has transformed from an industrial union to a solid institution in this country, which when given the necessary support and encouragement, unemployment will become a thing of the past.

"Let us all give thanks to our dear president who against all odds and challenges have transformed the union to a level that has continued to baffle unrepentant pessimists and other members of the society who hitherto have been passing unfriendly and uncomplimentary remarks against the rank and file of the union.

"Permit me to call on other state councils to emulate the good work of Kwara State council, you should find time and meet the chairman to disclose to you how he was able to achieve this feat within a short period", Jeji said.

In his address, the state chairman of NURTW, Alhaji Issa Ore, said the rationale behind the project was to increase the financial capacity of the union in the wake of the current economic recession, adding that it would be unwise to concentrate the revenue sources of the union on only saleable items.

He said the idea of venturing into the hotel business was considered economically viable for the union, adding that the project was increased from the initial cost N150million to N180million due to the prevailing high cost of materials occasioned by economic meltdown.

Ore, who thanked the state government, national leadership and members of the state council of the union for the support to complete the project, plead with members for continued support in order to improve on their welfare and project the image of the union to an enviable height.

He said, "The NURTW luxury hotel was conceived in 2013 and was estimated at N150million only but due to prevailing high cost of materials emanated from global economic downturn, the cost of completing the edifice rose sharply to N180million.

"It is gratifying to state here our reasons to embark on the hotel project. My executives felt then that, it was unwise and uneconomical to base our income revenue to only one source of saleable items as this may put our union in a financial jeopardy in the face of economic recession in the nearest future. Hence, the idea of diversifying our source of income and venture into hotel business which we believe is economically viable for the union.

"I will like to inform this gathering that the NURTW luxury hotel has 23 rooms and two suites with modern facilities, which will make our customers comfortable and feel at home anytime they lodge there or patronize the motel. Among the items of comfort provided at the motel include 60 KVA generator set and 100KV transformer to ensure adequate supply of electricity.

"It is necessary for me to appreciate my council members for their understanding and endurance in making sure that this project is completed during our tenure. In fact, your personal donations are highly appreciated and commended.

"With greatest respect, I am expressing my deepest appreciation to all members of the National Administrative Council for your timely donations as it got to a point that the council was faced with financial difficulties but you rose up and bailed us out. It must be placed on record that this council (NAC) had never disappointed us in any way, you always stand by us.

"I will like to appeal to our members to continue to support us in the state so that collectively, we will be able to improve the welfare of members and project the image of our great union and members to a greater height".

The Chairman, Kwara State chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Yekini Agunbiade, who also spoke at the ceremony, said the country was ensnared in economic crisis because of long time mono-economy it adopted, saying the reality of the moment had shown that the policy was no longer sustainable.

Represented by the vice-chairman, Comrade Muritala, Agunbiade stressed the urgent need to diversify the nation's economy and stop paying the usual lip service.

He enjoined leaders at all levels to take a cue from the initiative of the Kwara State council from the state NURTW by diversifying the revenue sources of the nation to other viable sectors of the economy that were hitherto untapped.

The NLC chairman, who declared that the commissioning of the motel offered the state leadership of the transport union the opportunity to render account of stewardship to members, urged people in positions of authority to always carry members along in the scheme of things.

He congratulated the state NURTW for the successful completion of the project and for leading by example among its counterparts.