Public holidays open up opportunities for the hospitality and tourism sector; and July 1, President John Mahama has announced, will be reinstated as a statutory public holiday, restoring its significance as Republic Day but with a multi celebratory feature, including being celebrated also as Senior Citizens’ Day in Ghana, as well as being observed as a National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving, allowing Ghanaians to reflect and express appreciation for the nation’s progress.
The President affirmed that amendments to the Public Holidays Act to restore July 1 as a statutory holiday will be presented to Parliament, while government also makes provisions to “fulfil our promise to the Muslim community of an extra holiday to mark the Muslim festival of Eid-ul-Fitr”.
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In another development, the president has appointed Hon. Yussif Issaka Jajah, the Member of Parliament for the Ayawaso North Constituency in Accra, as the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.
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Staff and management of Ghana Tourism Authority have held two separate ceremonies to welcome first, their new CEO – Maame Efua Houadjeto, expressing their gratitude for an interactive engagement and guarantee their commitment to working closely with her for a better Ghana.
The second reception, held the day after on February 4, welcomed the new Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Abla Dzifa Gomashie and formed part of activities marking her assumption of office as the sector minister.
Held at GTA head office, Hon. Gomashie, acknowledging the roles each agency under the ministry plays in promoting destination Ghana, expressed her gratitude, challenging management and staff to work collectively and harmoniously to make Ghana a destination of choice domestically and internationally.
Excited to be working with GTA, she articulated her willingness to explore ways in which together, they would work to drive growth, innovation and excellence for a strong destination Ghana.
At her maiden meeting, on the other hand, Maame Efua, the second female CEO of the GTA since its establishment as the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) in 1973, and first since the GTB became an authority under the Tourism Act, 2011 (Act 817), emphasised her commitment to promoting Ghana’s rich cultural heritage and natural beauty, urging management and staff to work collaboratively as a team to drive the growth and development of the tourism industry in Ghana.
Her predecessor, the affable Akwasi Agyeman, was present to welcome her.
Meanwhile, both the Tourism Minister and the GTA CEO are expected to make an appearance at the impending maiden Ghana Tourism Forum ‘Tourism Stakeholder Mixer’, which is scheduled for Wednesday, February 12, at The Conclave Meetings & Events Center, Osu. The mixer is an opportunity for the industry to “engage, connect and execute” ideas.
