Ghana Hotels Association Urges Ministry to Engage Private Sector

Ghana Hotels Association Urges Ministry to Engage Private Sector

The Ghana Hotels Association (GHA) is calling on the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to engage the private sector and academia to discuss industry issues. According to Dr. Edward Ackah-Nyamike Junior, President of GHA, this engagement is mandated by the Tourism Act 817 of 2012, which requires the Minister to organize a forum every quarter.

Lack of Engagement: Despite the Act’s provisions, the forum has not been held regularly since 2012, with only a few instances of successful engagement, notably when a steering committee was formed two to three years ago.
Access to Information: The GHA President emphasized that the forum provides a platform for the private sector to bring industry issues to the ministry’s attention and for the minister to provide updates on industry happenings.

Transparency and Accountability: Dr. Ackah-Nyamike Junior expressed frustration that the lack of engagement creates an impression that the hotel association is always complaining without being given opportunities to voice out issues.

Tourism Development Fund Concerns
Lack of Transparency: The GHA President also raised concerns about the Tourism Development Fund, established under the same Act, which requires tourism establishments to contribute 1% of their inflows for sector development.
Inadequate Information Sharing: Despite regular assessments to ensure compliance, the GHA is not receiving adequate information on how the funds are being utilized, making it difficult for the private sector to drive industry growth.

Call to Action
The Ghana Hotels Association is urging the Ministry to take immediate action to:
Reinvigorate the Forum: Hold the quarterly forum as mandated by law to facilitate engagement between the private sector, academia, and the ministry. Improve Transparency: Provide regular updates on the utilization of the Tourism Development Fund to ensure transparency and accountability.

By addressing these concerns, the GHA hopes to foster a more collaborative and transparent tourism industry that benefits all stakeholders.

Story by Fada Amakye from Daily Sun