Preparation for this year’s Kwahu Easter has begun with authorities of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) inspecting hospitality facilities to eliminate illegal operators and substandard facilities preparing to cater for guests during the festivities.
Following the inspection and monitoring exercise in collaboration with the Nkawkaw Divisional Police, six out of seven inspected facilities were closed down last Thursday for operating without licence.
The facilities failed to meet the requirements provided under Legislative Instruments (L.I.) 2238 and 2239 (Tourism Regulations, 2016) which are, “Registration and Licensing of Food, Beverage and Entertainment Enterprise” and “Registration and Licensing of Tourist Accommodation” respectively.
The affected facilities were, Debrah Guest House, Elsie Hotel, Cosmos Memorial Hotel and Daddy’s Motel and Pub, all located at Nkawkaw in the Kwahu West municipality.
Other facilities that were closed due to their substandard nature also include; Star Gate Hotel and Flor-J Guest House located at Nteso and Obomeng respectively in the Kwahu South municipality.
The GTA Eastern Regional Director, Frederick Adjei-Rudolph, in an interview with the Daily Graphic indicated that 17 other facilities within the Kwahu enclave were earmarked for monitoring as they did not qualify for the 2022 operational licence during the annual inspection conducted last year.
He said although the facilities did not meet the minimum acceptable standards for licensing, they would be granted licence once the necessary defects identified by the GTA last year were rectified, adding that failure to do that will have them closed down.
The facilities include, Royal Hill Hotel, Top Way Hotel, Asase Aban Hotel, Masada Hotel, Agya Ampadu Guest House, Hotel De-ship, Rosemma Guest House, Dubai City Hotel and D. Kyeremateng Guest House. (GraphicOnline)