Lecturer at the Hotel Catering and Institutional Management (HCIM) department of the Accra Technical University, Mrs. Elizabeth Kafui Senya, has averred that the new COVID-19 directives specifically, the closure of cinemas, pubs, night clubs and beaches has been traumatizing for employees in the hospitality industry in the past few days.

On his 23^rd address to the nation on measures instituted by the government to fight COVID-19, the President directed that all beaches, pubs, cinemas and nightclubs in the country should remain closed until further notice.

The President further instructed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), James Oppong Boanuh to direct officers, men and women of the Police Service to ensure the closure of all night clubs, pubs, cinemas and beaches that may be operating in defiance of the law, adding that they will be assisted by the other security agencies if necessary.

This new directive according to Mrs. Elizabeth Kafui Senya is traumatizing for people in the hospitality industry. She posited that, most of the workers in the industry were laid-off during the lockdown in 2020 which had a huge toll on the industry. However, some of the employees were called back during the third and fourth quarter of 2020 after some of the directives were relaxed.

Job losses in the Hospitality Industry in Ghana

Nevertheless, the current wave of COVID-19 spread which has caused the President to start reinstating new directives is causing fear, panic and trauma among most of the workers in the industry as they are anticipating another era of joblessness if the COVID-9 situation deteriorates.

“Last year for instance, most of the workers in the industry, especially those in the pubs, night clubs, bars, beaches and those who work at the housekeeping department, front office, HR, food & beverage lost their jobs during the lockdown. Though the beaches, cinemas, pubs were supposed to remain closed, most of them were discreetly working after the lockdown period had expended, and most of the hotels called some of their workers to return to work. Now that the Presidents is emphasizing on the directives, most of the employees at the beaches, cinemas, pubs etc., will temporarily be jobless, and their counterparts in the hotel sector are getting traumatized over a potential unemployment which will be COVID-driven.”

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, in his recent address expressed displeasure and discontentment over the non-adherence to COVID protocols, and urged the general public to observe these protocols to avoid the widespread of COVID-19 which will compel him to introduce another lockdown. Mrs. Elizabeth Kafui Senya advised that, it is imperative for the entire public to be discipline in observing COVID protocols in order avert any future lockdown.

“The COVID situation is getting serious, and the general public have to comply to the President’s directives. It is better for us to observe the COVID protocols and go about our usual enterprises than to experience another lockdown which will affect everybody economically.”