The hospitality industry in the Upper East Region faces significant challenges, chief among them the continuous need to retrain staff and the unstable cedi. Joyce Abayom, CEO of MacLean View Restaurant, explained that many individuals working in the sector see these jobs not as careers but as temporary sources of income, leading to frequent turnover and a constant need to train new employees.
“We don’t have people who are willing to stay and be trained because they feel this isn’t a job they can commit to for life. So, some come, get trained, and leave shortly after; others find the work difficult. Even serving food feels challenging for them, so they choose not to stay,” she said.
In an interview on A1 Radio, Madam Abayom, who originally trained as a secretary, shared that she discovered her calling in the hospitality industry while seeking employment. What began as a small venture has since grown into a successful restaurant, largely driven by customer feedback and appreciation for quality service. “I’m a secretary by profession, but sometimes finding a job is not easy, so you have to consider other paths. While searching, I came up with this idea because when you prepare food for people and they enjoy it, it’s rewarding. So, in the process of looking for a job, I thought, ‘If I can’t find a white-collar job, why not move into the hospitality business through cooking and serving?’ And that’s how we started.”
Madam Abayom also pointed to economic factors, such as rising exchange rates, that continually increase costs for businesses. She suggested that stabilizing the local currency against foreign currencies could help ease these pressures, calling for government intervention to create a more stable economic environment for local businesses. “I don’t know if the government could control the cedi’s exchange rates with the dollar and CFA,” she said. “If our cedi can stabilize to match the dollar and CFA, I think market prices would be more manageable.”
“If we see that our cedi isn’t performing well, perhaps they could consider switching to the dollar or CFA so that we’re all on the same market. Right now, the dollar and CFA keep rising while our cedi remains stagnant. If we’re using a currency that can’t hold up against others, why not upgrade to the CFA or dollar?”
She cautioned that without action, the hospitality sector could face shortages of goods, further affecting service delivery.
Meanwhile, she expressed gratitude to the Ghana Tourism Authority, the Food and Drugs Authority, and other institutions for their support, emphasizing that her recent award reflects collective efforts rather than just her own hard work. “We want to say that it’s all their contributions that have made us win this award. It’s not only our hard work; collectively, they helped us achieve this goal.” Her remarks came after being recognized as the Best Traditional Caterer for the third consecutive time at the 2024 Upper East Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) Awards.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Gifty Eyram Kudiabor|Ghana
