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The Ghana Hoteliers Association has announced plans to investigate legal action against the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for failing to pay 80 percent of the funds owed to hoteliers who hosted guests during the 13th African Games in Accra.
Although the hoteliers have only received 20 percent of the agreed payment, their repeated efforts to recover the remaining amount from the Ministry have proven unsuccessful.
Dr. Edward Ackah-Nyameke, President of the Hoteliers Association, voiced his concerns during an interview with Citi News on Sunday. He emphasized that the government must ensure it meets its financial commitments to service providers.
“The games were held in March, and now we are well into July. These rates were negotiated well in advance of the games, so one would expect these costs were included in the budget and that payment would be made promptly after the event,” Dr. Ackah-Nyameke said.
He further noted, “As reported, only a 20% upfront payment has been made, and 80% remains unpaid. It is unclear whether other hotels beyond the 40 reported are also facing similar issues. We need to investigate this matter thoroughly because it affects our industry as a whole.”
Dr. Ackah-Nyameke highlighted that such issues are not new and have previously led some hotels to avoid dealing with public agencies. He expressed hope that publicizing this situation would prompt the relevant agencies to address their financial obligations to the hotels.
The 13th African Games, which took place from March 8 to March 23, involved over 13,000 participants, including 5,000 athletes, 3,000 technical officials, 3,000 volunteers, and 2,000 guests from 54 African countries. Many of these guests were accommodated in hotels across Accra.
The LOC and the Ministry of Youth and Sports had negotiated accommodation rates with the hoteliers before the games, with an agreement for a 20 percent upfront payment and the remaining 80 percent to be settled after the event. Despite the conclusion of the games on March 23, the Ministry has yet to settle the outstanding balance.
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