Featured Article: Ghana Beach Tourism Sanitation and Hygiene

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Sanitation and hygiene is not just restricted to personal grooming but extends to domestic, professional and civic health of a country. Negligence of personal hygiene can subject a person or nation to infections and diseases.

The La Pleasure Beach was closed down by the Ghana Tourism Authority on Tuesday the 12th of June 2018, with the offence of violating the tourism act (LI 1205, Accommodation and Catering Enterprise Regulation). This law demands tourism and hospitality facilities to maintain the highest standards of cleanliness in their operations to meet and or exceed the expectations of clients to help boost the industry.

Neatness and Cleanliness is not a function of how rich or poor you are but that of mentality and principle. A recent video that went viral on social media showed the implication the filth at La Pleasure Beach had on the country’s tourism sector. It again exposed the deplorable conditions of some hospitality institutions in the country and its adverse impact on patrons.

This alarming issue compelled a joint team from the Ghana Tourism Authority and the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out an inspection to confirm the allegation. This inspection was carried out at facilities including, La- Boma Beach Resort, Billy Jane Restaurant, Vienna City Restaurant, Titanic Beach Resort, and the Bamboo Pub and Accra Del Mar Restaurant. 

The inspection revealed that, some of the kitchens at these resorts had their utensils in unhygienic states, they also had exposed electrical wires which could spark fire with the least mistake. No innovation in the past 200 years has done more to save lives and improve health than the sanitation revolution triggered by invention of the toilet- Sylvia Mathews Burwell. The La Pleasure Beach had its main toilet sewage gushing out in an uncovered pit with abandoned wooden structures all over the place as well as openly burning refuse.

The Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GTA, Mr Akwasi Agyemang, speaking to the media disclosed that, the authority and the EPA had earlier written to these institutions making them aware that they were operating below acceptable standards. Following the closure, till a concrete action is seen to put the place in good shape for its patrons. He again added that, the heaps of rubbish being burnt, plastic litters, broken down washrooms and unhygienic kitchen conditions are things they cannot overlook. The Bamboo Pub and Accra Del Mar Restaurant at the Titanic Beach Resort on the Sakumono Tema Beach road was also closed down, owing to this similar offence. 

I must commend the Ministry of tourism and the Ghana tourism authority for their relentless effort in sustaining the industry as well as improving sanitation with their annual inspections to Tourism and Hospitality facilities. This is why as the National President of the Ghana Association of Tourism Students with over 900 membership population in all tertiary institutions in Ghana, I and my team have agreed to partner with the Ministry of Tourism and  the Ghana Tourism Authority in an ongoing campaign to sensitise and ensure that resorts along the beaches are cleaned from all forms of waste and also help to fight against open defecation, thereby maintaining the health of both local and foreign patron, as well as making our beaches to regain their attractiveness and serve their purpose of providing recreation and relaxation for tourists.

 Cleaning the beaches in Ghana project is an  exercise that will be undertaken by the Ministry of Tourism in partnership with the Ghana Association of Tourism students -Tertiary chapter in collaboration with the Zoom lion Ghana to clean the beaches in the country with health screening and sensitization about the importance of Coastal sanitation to the Tourism industry in Ghana.

The activity is proposed to take place in Accra, James town on the 21st of September 2018  and we believe this annual exercise will help  attract more tourists for the Nation to gain more foreign revenue,  increasing the country’s GDP and also curb diseases like Cholera and Malaria in our coastal areas in Ghana.

CLEAN BEACH GHANA 2018!!!!
THE BEACHES, OUR TOURISM RESOURCE.


BY Desmond Asomaning -President,Ghana Association of Tourism Students
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