Takoradi, March 26, GNA – Hotel General Managers and restaurant owners in the Western Region have petitioned the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) to support the hospitality industry in these trying times of COVID-19.
They called on the government to set up and offer the industry immediate fiscal relief to avert thousands of jobs and businesses closing down as some of them are literally weeks away from shut downs.
According to them, “the COVID 19 is a challenge and a tragedy in equal measure for the country and the society’s most vulnerable and for that matter we wish to play our part in protecting those who need it and assist in any way possible to see the country through these dark times”.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency on a Statement issued by the President of the Ghana Hotels Association, the Western Regional Chairman of the Association, Mr Kojo Asante Anane contended that as the fourth largest industry and foreign currency earner in Ghana, the industry provided much-need jobs for tens of thousands of Ghanaians.
“We therefore urgently request a more measured and urgent supportive stance from the Government of Ghana.”
He said clear bail out and rescue plans can be roll out by government for both staff and business owners, transparency on timeline for bail out and rescue plan, so businesses could prepare logistically and rationally for the turbulent times ahead, as some critical actions that needed to be urgently implemented by the government if they were to survive the current global contagion of COVID-19.
Others are reduction in electricity and water tariffs by at least 65per cent, VAT Output Rate to match three per cent and Input Rate paid by all suppliers, Property Rates reduced by 50 per cent, suspension of the Tourism Levy of one per cent, and cancellation of import duties on food and non-food products for hospitality till 31st December, 2020 as a reserve to aid in the hotel bail-out.
Mr Asante stressed that the Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana Music Rights Organization and Audiovisual Rights Society of Ghana should suspend their charges until further notice, while banks should be stopped from charging the principal and interest on loans over a period of at least six months.
He added that SSNIT should support by paying a portion of employee’s contribution as salary over the next six-month.
GNA