Hotels to lay off more workers in the coming days

President of GHA, Dr Edward Ackah-Nyamekeh, said many hotels have been hit hard by the covid-19 pandemic.

He said the situation has been made worse by their inability to access government’s multi-million cedi stimulus package meant to cushion businesses in these trying times.

It will be recalled that government set aside a GH¢600 million stimulus package help lessen the economic impact of COVID19 on businesses.

President of Ghana Hotels Association, Dr Edward Ackah-Nyamekeh, Pulse Ghana

Dr. Ackah-Nyamekeh said despite many hotels applying, the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) is yet to give them any positive feedback after two months.

“Two months after the applications commenced, we are yet to receive anything and the two months after the applications means five months into the pandemic,” he said on 3FM’s Sunrise morning show.

“We have been on the roof shouting but the excuse that we have been given is that they started with the micro businesses, those who requested for the GH¢1000 and the GH¢1500.”

He warned that hotels have already started thinking towards redundancy and will lay off some staff if they do not receive the needed support.

“Right from the beginning we said the idea of giving the NBSSI that money to share was a non-starter. They promised that once you get the application in two weeks, you will get the disbursement but two months and no show.

“As we speak now some of the hotels are talking of redundancy. From March up to June, we all play the wait and see game that maybe government will come in but it is becoming obvious,” the GHA President added.