The Ministry of Finance and the Koforidua Technical University have inaugurated a free training program to retrain and train workers in the tourism and hospitality sector to increase their capacities and boost their delivery in the sector.
The program, which is under the implementation of the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations, Organized Labour, and the Ghana Employers Association, is part of efforts to restore the hospitality industry back to its feet after the COVID-19 pandemic.
In July 2020, the government established a national unemployment insurance scheme and training and retraining program to offer income support and employment services to serve as a mitigation measure for workers who become unemployed due to unanticipated events such as COVID-19.
Akwasi Manu, a Senior Economist at the Ministry of Finance, speaking on behalf of the sector minister during the opening of the training program, indicated that the government is poised to make the hospitality industry a driving force behind the country’s economy.
“The hospitality and tourism sector is a key player of Ghana’s economy. Its contribution extends beyond gains encompassing employment generation, cultural preservation, regional development, and nation branding. Government will continue to invest in infrastructure, human capital, and sustainable tourism practices to unlock the sector’s full potential and ensure long-term growth.”
He stressed, “This program has been meticulously designed to empower the beneficiaries with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their respective fields. It is not just another government program that the government starts and does not finish. Rather, see it as an opportunity for your own career progression, as it may be the catalyst for your career journey ahead.”
He urged the participants to set up their own restaurants in order for the government to get some taxes from their businesses.
“Don’t just attend or log onto lectures, but actively engage in the lectures as well as the practical sections. This will not only empower you but strengthen the workforce of the nation. Because if you go out there after this program to open a restaurant, you end up employing others too, and the government will in turn also get some taxes from you to develop the nation,” he advised.
On his part, the Vice-Chancellor of the Koforidua Technical University, Prof. David Kofi Essumang, who lauded the efforts of the government, called on the beneficiaries to take full advantage of the opportunity to maximize their businesses.
“What we are doing today is part of the loans the government took during COVID-19 to restore our businesses after the pandemic. We should spread the message out there that the government is thinking about us, and we should be proud of it. If you look at the COVID-19 period, from 2019 to 2020, right after February when I assumed office, we were confronted with the wonderful happenings, and for one year my office was closed. And the most affected people were the hospitality industry, especially the food and beverages sector.”
“They were so much affected that the hotels were even not serving food, restaurants and drinking bars were closed, and a number of people lost their jobs because of that. But the government realized that these people have been affected, so there is the need to do something for the sector. So you all should be serious about the program, and your lives will never be the same after the program,” he admonished.
