The National Executive Council of Teacher
Trainees’ Association of Ghana ( TTAG )
has resolved to embark on a
Demonstration openly to register its
displeasure towards the Ministry of
Education and Ghana Education Service for
the failure to directly employ Newly Trained
Teachers for the 2018/2019 academic
year.
According to a statement issued by the
National Secretariat of the Association,the
leadership of the Association has
exhausted all possible avenues in ensuring
that the government does the needful by
employing the 2018 batch of Newly Trained
Teachers but they have proven futile.
“In view of this, we are calling on all Newly
Trained Teachers to converge at Obra
Sport at Kwame Nkrumah Circle on
Wednesday , 7th November, 2018 at
exactly 8:00am to begin the peaceful
protest through the Adabraka Police Station
road to the Accra Hearts of Oak Park where
a petition would be presented to the Office
of Vice President.” It said.

The statement further indicated that all
continuing students who would not be able
to join the protest are expected to put on
red arm bands to lectures on Wednesday.
Mentees are also directed to abandone
classes on the said day in solidarity with
Newly Trained Teachers who have been
denied direct employment by the
government.
The Trainees also called on the Media and
the General Public for their support in this
time of struggle and frustration.

Source EducationGhana.net

Tourism is the fastest growing industry worldwide and has helped transformed economies through job creation which has led to poverty alleviation for graduates who pursue higher education in Tourism and Hospitality and even people who study other academic disciplines. The same may not be stated for Ghana although the Tourism industry is recognised as the 3rd/4th highest income/foreign exchange generation for the country, it cannot by its current structure be considered as a tool for socio-economic development of the people. The sort attention that tourism used to receive in the early 90’s till about 2010 has virtually died out.  I don’t really understand why one industry since 1993 has seen different names, every government has a name to give to this industry. Can we not have a common name for the sector which would be backed by a legislation? The industry is dying out gradually as a result due to apparent neglect. However, the Universities and other tertiary institutions continue to train the much needed Human Resource for the industry. The question is “of what use would that be if human capital of the industry is not given the much needed boost or support. To ensure the sustainability of the industry requires the implementation of certain policies including ensuring HR development in the sector as well as employment of these trained personnel to help boost the industry. The government through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and GTA is responsible to spearhead the promotion and regulation of bodies and policies to streamline the activities of the players the industry to ensure development of the sector. The industry potentially is capable of creating jobs both in the formal and informal sectors of the economy if given the necessary boost by stakeholders especially government if the right caliber of professionals are appointed at various positions of trust. It is for example stated in the Tourism Act 2011, Act 817, section 16(1) that “there board shall establish district offices of the Authority in each district” and the offices shall perform functions as determined by the Board”. What do we see? Just as there are seriously challenges with the implementation of our decentralisation policy, so it is with the devolution of power to the grassroots or local communities so it is with other institutions including GTA. If the decentralisation has been total we would for example with GTA have about 254 district offices. And if each district employs about 5 persons to GTA we could have (5x254=1270) persons gainfully employed by the state. GTA as an important statutory regulatory body in the tourism positioned properly for work in the industry will ensure the efficient performance of her mandate-inspecting, mobilisation, advocacy and regulation among other functions of the active players of the hospitality industry. However, for lack of total decentralisation, these activities stated can never be implemented. GTA currently operates in only the regional capitals or centres of the country. This means that the district offices of GTA are yet to be opened let alone function. This is reflecting in the poor performance of these hospitality centres and organisation due to lack of proper control resulting from manpower efficiency. I therefore call on the government, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) to address these challenges and come to the realisation that an improvement in the manpower situation within the industry would potentially lead to corresponding positive improvement in the industry. GTA should thus be seen and felt to be working in all 254 districts in all the 275 constituency in Ghana. It is an undisputed fact that every district in Ghana is peculiar in nature as far as tourism development is concerned. Come to think of the number of festivals and other attractions and features-natural and man-made abound in every district and one would come to the realisation of how enormous tourism is and how many people it can employ and how much the sector can generate in terms of income and foreign exchange for the local people and the country as a whole. The time to act is now.

 By: Emmanuel Dornyoh
The writer of this article is a tourism practitioner, researcher who have lot of passion for tourism in Ghana. He is the CEO of Demmanuel Consults, a tourism and events management firm which organizes tours for clubs, associations, corporate organizations etc.