Poor Sanitation Problems Crippling Promotional Efforts Of Tourism Industry
Friday August 28, 2009
By Our Reporter
The Minister for Tourism Mrs. Juliana Azumah Mensah has observed that, though Ghana is a unique tourism destination, poor sanitation problems are crippling the promotional efforts of the tourism industry.
She made the observations yesterday, when she addressed a forum organised by the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF) in Accra yesterday.
GHATOF is an umbrella organisation of 21 tourism related Trade Associations, created in 1985 and registered formally in 1999.
The forum was under the theme “Clean Tourism, Hospitable Climates” was to discuss sanitation problems facing the hospitality and tourism industry in the country.
The Minister said tourism thrives in a clean, healthy and attractive environment, adding; “we therefore have a responsibility to address issues relating to poor sanitation, harassment and conditions for food preparation which are relevant to the upliftment of the industry.”
She called for collaboration with the relevant agencies such as the Ministries of Science and Technology, Local Government and the District Assemblies to come out with strategies to address the insanitary conditions in our communities.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah also drew attention to the challenges of climate change and their impact on our tourism industry.
She noted that, the effects of climatic change produce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which in turn results in heat waves, intense wind patterns, and heavy rains associated with floods.
She said this is already evident in our coastal areas like Ada, Princesstown, Brenu Achinum and Keta, which get flooded as a result of high tidal waves from the sea.
She disclosed that worldwide, the tourism sector contributes five per cent of the total green house gas emissions to the atmosphere, through the aviation industry, accommodation, travel and tours and the car hiring companies.
“We therefore need to find answers to the questions raised on actions to reduce our contributions to climate change,” she emphasised.
She said the use of renewable energy, particularly solar panels to power hotels instead of stand by diesel generators should be encouraged.
The President of GHATOF, Mrs Stella Appenteng, earlier in her welcome address, said, one of the greatest advantages of Ghana’s Tourism industry is that, it is not over crowded, as hotel rooms that meet international standards are generally available throughout the year.
“The low density of resistors implies that, litter can be controlled,” she said.
Mrs Appenteng. However, said it is increasingly becoming an embarrassment for tour operators to include visits to the markets and the beaches on their itineraries because of the unpleasant odours emanating from poor waste management at such places.
“We must guard against creeping conditions that could lead Ghana appearing on Travel Warning and Travel Alerts lists as countries of health-risky dest nations,” Mrs Appenteng warned.
She said tour operators, particularly traditional bars, food vendors and restaurants would have to forge a strong bond to reverse unclean and unhygienic trends that deter visitors from patronizing our goods and services.
Mr Edward Komla, a tourism consultant who chaired the forum, said there is the need to constantly promote awareness programmes on sanitation to avoid Ghana being blacklisted as a preferred tourist destination.
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Entertainment/Lifestyle/Society
Comments
charcoal and fire wood are the culprits
The article didn\'t say that climate change had contributed to the sanitation problems in Ghana. it said the climate change may affect the tourism. When you read articles, please ensure that you understand what is written before you write comments. Ghanaians have to learn to be clean. It is not the responsibility of the Minister of Tourism to do that. I was in Ghana, and I saw first hand how dirty and careless some of our fellow Ghanaians behave. It is a sociatal responsibility to keep Ghana clean.
Having recently visited Ghana, I did find that sanitation was a problem. The proclivity of the locals to pee anywhere that they wish was somewhat annoying. You need to take some pride in your country and treat it with respect. Stop throwing garbage everywhere and start building more public washroom facilities so the people don\'t find the need to urinate (or worse) in public.
we need good education from the early stage before everything will be alright.
Marcus - You have hit bit on the button!! What has climate change got to do with SANITATION? These ASS HOLES have no idea about sanitation. All they are interested in is the very fact that they are MINISTERS. All other things come second. I am sure if you enter this woman\'s house, (with all the privilages that go with her post) you will feel sick using her wash room. Has she just noticed the filth in Ghana? Visit any Government Department and you will soon see how Ghanaians have been reduced to accepting filth as a way of life. Women derssed to kill - but just ask to use their wash room and they start begging you not to. I recently visited Accra with an Austrian friend and it was so ambarassing as we could NOT find a single toilet round the MAKOLA area. Nothing built fot the public by the Government or the AMA. The only one next to the old Government Girls School by Makola No. 2 was not FIT for PIGS let alone HUMANS!!!!
i visited ghana in october last year and i was appaled at the smell of urine and the sight of garbage in open sewers.i stayed at the african royal hotel and venturing outside in the immediate surrounding i felt filthy. the locals use the beaches to defecate openly. even in the city men just urinated everywhere. i toured old accra and the stench of urine and feces was overwhelming, i dared not to eat from the local resturants ar felt safe gong into the markets. i love ghana, my husband is ghanian. accra is filthy and needs to be cleaned up
infact it is good health that will make we the citizens put more effort to keep the country clean to attract tourists.Now if we always suffer in ailment and in bad health with no money,how can we work?So i am appealing to the government to take heed of this problems.
Please Mrs. Juliana Azuma Nelson, stop talking about climate change, it has nothing to do with our filthy environment. The government should come out with a robust plan to clean up Ghana. Failure to do that would result in increased ailments, and turn off tourists. Besides, isn\'t cleanliness Godliness? The speeches are getting us nowhere. We demand action.