Akwasi Agyemang, CEO of Ghana Tourism Authority
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Sunday, July 26, 2020, announced the reopening of all tourist sites and attractions across the country in ‘Phase Two’ of the easing of the restrictions in the fight against coronavirus.
Addressing the nation during his 14th update on Covid-19, the president stated that with immediate effect, all the tourist sites as well as open-air drinking spots can now open.
According to the President “in consultation with the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the health experts, I am announcing the reopening of our nation’s tourist sites and attraction sites; so they can begin to receive visitors. Open air drinking spots can now function.”
He, however, tasked the management of tourist sites and drinking spots to enforce social distancing and hygiene protocols, adding that beaches, pubs, cinemas and nightclubs still remained closed until further notice.
The President indicated that he took his latest decision in consultation with the authority and health experts.
Last week, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, also revealed that the creative sector in the country would receive financial support from the government for the next six months.
Presenting the mid-year budget review in Parliament on Thursday, July 23, he said the money would be taken from the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP) Business Support Scheme also known as CapBuss Fund.
According to the minister, the government is going to “increase the CapBuss programme by GH¢150 million to, among others, facilitate credit of GH¢50 million to support the creative arts, the media and the conference of independent universities.”
This comes after the announcement of a US$9 million stimulus support for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises to be taken from the US$40 million Tourism Development Project Fund given to Ghana by the World Bank.
Since the outbreak of coronavirus, a lot of creative artists have complained about the untold burden the pandemic has left on their businesses.
There have been a lot of calls on the government to provide some financial assistance to the sector.
By George Clifford Owusu