News
‘Make yourselves marketable to attract customers’
• Resource persons and the caterers.
A one-day stakeholder engagement and customer service training for the informal caterers also called traditional caterers has taken place at Takoradi in the Western Region.
The workshop is to sensitise the caterers on how to prepare their locations, the servers and the food to meet the demands of foreign tourists who will travel to Ghana during the Christmas and New Year and will like to taste Ghanaian dishes.
Addressing the caterers, the Deputy Chief Executive of Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Mr Ekow Sampson said that in 2019 over one million tourists visited Ghana and also in the year of Beyond the Return celebration.
He said these tourists spent GH¢3.3 billion in the Ghanaian drinking and chop bars and some attractive areas like the forts, castles, beaches and places of interest among others.
He told them that Christmas was fast approaching and the tourists would visit Ghana and other African countries to dodge the cold in their countries.
He said all informal caterers must adequately renovate their bars, customise uniforms for their workers and brand their locations to attract the tourists who would be visiting Ghana.
Mr Sampson said these tourists would visit places of interest but would also like to taste the Ghanaian foods by coming to the local bars instead.
A resource person, Yvonne Ohui MacCharthy said five basic services were needed to make their places attractive for the tourists to call on them for their services.
She said the tourists must look and feel the caterers, attitude of the caterers must be accommodating, their knowledge in the business must be current without any doubts, processing and procedures must be up to date and lastly sales techniques.
She told the caterers to clean cobwebs hanging in the windows, ceiling fans and the walls because these marks would be a minus for them.
The Western Regional Director of GTA, Mr Henry Yeleduor said that a series of programmes and activities had been organised by the “Beyond the Return” Secretariat under GTA to prepare them and sharpen their knowledge and skills in the hospitality industry.
He said the main objective was to prepare caterers to receive visitors, guests and revellers to their facilities as part of the “December-in-GH” activities organised by the GTA.
He said these programmes were to give them some skills on how to attract, satisfy, maintain and keep their guests as they come into their facilities and to return during the next visit looking for the same bar because the services were so nicely delivered.
He said there was absolutely no way that one could divorce successful business practices from quality services adding “it is common cause that good customer service surely builds enduring customer loyalty which is an important element for sustainable development and success in business”.
He asked the caterers to become ambassadors of excellent service in their areas of operation through skills transfer and mentoring other similar establishments especially the emerging businesses.
From Peter Gbambila-Takoradi
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) has held its Fourth Quarter Ministerial Advisory Board Meeting to review progress, discuss key policy matters, and strengthen collaboration towards achieving its strategic goals.
The meeting brought together members of the Advisory Board, which was set up under Section 39 of the Civil Service Act, 1993 (PNDCL 327), and the Civil Service (Ministerial Advisory Board) Regulations, 2010 (L.I. 1961).
The Board serves as a platform for continuous engagement between the Ministry and its stakeholders.
Its role is to advise the sector Minister on policy planning and implementation, while ensuring that programmes on gender, social protection, and child welfare align with national priorities and government development goals.
The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, commended the Board for its consistent support and technical guidance in advancing the Ministry’s mandate.
She noted that the Ministry’s work in promoting gender equality, protecting the vulnerable, and ensuring the welfare of children and families depends on strong policies and effective partnerships.
Dr. Lartey stressed that the Advisory Board plays an important role in helping the Ministry deliver its mission in a sustainable and impactful way.
A major highlight of the meeting was a presentation on the Ministry’s achievements so far this year, followed by discussions on future policy direction and strategic focus areas.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has been unanimously elected as the Chairperson of the Africa Geopolitical Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
The election took place on October 19, 2025, during the ongoing 151st IPU Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. His victory places Ghana at the center of continental and global parliamentary diplomacy.
With this new role, Speaker Bagbin will coordinate and harmonize Africa’s collective positions on major IPU decisions and policies.
He will also serve as the continent’s chief representative on key issues such as governance, peace, security, and sustainable development.
Speaker Bagbin currently serves as the President of the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures (COSPAL) and is the immediate past Chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) International.
In his remarks after the election, he thanked African delegations for their confidence and unity, particularly commending Nigeria for seconding his nomination and Senegal for withdrawing its candidate in the spirit of cooperation.
He pledged to strengthen collaboration among African parliaments and promote transparency, democratic governance, and sustainable development through stronger legislative institutions.
He succeeds Ms. Angela Thokozile Didiza, Speaker of South Africa’s National Assembly, who served with distinction.
The Africa Geopolitical Group, formed in the early 1950s, serves as a continental branch of the IPU, ensuring fair representation of African countries in the Union’s committees and decision-making bodies.
It also coordinates Africa’s common positions on major parliamentary issues discussed at IPU assemblies.
By: Jacob Aggrey
