As COVID-19 induced restrictions begin to ease gradually in Ghana, restaurants have been given the green light to provide seated services but with enhanced measures.
Hotels are also to operate a bit more freely by holding conferences and workshops with enhanced safety protocols.
President Akufo-Addo announced these in a nationwide broadcast on Sunday, May 31, 2020.
According to him, restaurants can open but with strict rules on social distancing measures, protection for staff and strict rules on customer numbers and hygiene.
“Restaurants, providing seated services, can operate under appropriate social distancing arrangements and hygiene protocols. Conferences, workshops, weddings, and political activities, except rallies, can now take place, but with limited numbers not exceeding one hundred (100) persons present, with the appropriate social distancing and hygiene protocols,” he stated.
Restaurateurs and café owners are among business that have borne the economic brunt of the Coronavirus-induced restrictions imposed on the country since its first cases on March 12.
Some operators of restaurants in the national capital, Accra, said their activities had been severely hampered as they’re unable to host large numbers of people.
These situations, coupled with travel restrictions slowed down their economic activities, as some operators of restaurants and hotels even laid-off some casual workers due to low patronage.
Currently, Ghana’s case count of the novel COVID-19 has risen to 8,070 with 2,947 recoveries and 36 deaths.
The Ghana Hotels Association earlier called on government to support its members to pay their staff due to low patronage of their facilities.
Also, the National Hospitality Association of Ghana (NHAG), called on government to negotiate with the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to pay 50% salary of employees over a period of six-months as part of emergency assistance in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Association, made up of 60 mainline restaurants and eateries in Accra, Tema and Kumasi, stated that the prospects of a recovery for the industry was even becoming more remote each week.
We’re considering support for hard-hit hospitality sector – Akufo-Addo
Earlier, President, Nana Akufo-Addo, announced that government is in the process of designing a unique model of intervention for the country’s hospitality industry following the severe impact of COVID 19 on their operations.
According to him, government’s intervention is more crucial in these times especially in the wake of challenges such as the low patronage of hotels and tourism sites.