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The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture under its Ghana Tourism Development Project (GTDP) has supported four technical universities with hospitality training equipment to incorporate the needed skills development that will prepare students for the modern industry.
Funded by the World Bank, the beneficiaries were Cape Coast Technical University, Accra Technical University (ATU), Kumasi Technical University and Tamale Technical University.
Some of the items presented to the schools last Thursday (May 4) at a ceremony in Accra included computers, laptops, projectors, air conditioners, fans, fridges, refrigerators, chairs, tables and ovens.
Others were cake mixers, blenders, frying pans, microwaves, kitchen sinks, bed and mattresses, television sets, printers and washing machines, among others.
The exercise also coincided with the launch of the Lower Management Training Programme aimed at providing students with teachings that will make them employable, enhance their livelihoods and create wealth.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Consciental Limited and Project Consultant, Dr James Antwi, said that to ensure students were equipped with the skills and knowledge they needed to meet the demands of both domestic and international tourists.
“As consultants, we conducted stakeholder engagement, training and equipment needs assessment, resulting in the development of training modules and the procurement of equipment. The training would be hands-on and would be delivered over the next four weeks,” he said.
Also, he commended the stakeholders for being the backbone of the project.
“The achievement of this project is the result of the leadership and support of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture and the Project Coordinating Unit. I would also like to recognise the role that hospitality skills training institutions have played in this project. The success of this project will depend on their commitment to providing high-quality training to our students,” he said.
For his part, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of ATU, Amevi Acakpovi, PhD, also thanked the tourism ministry for the gesture, which would no doubt make practical training more effective.
The Technical Advisor of GTDP, Professor Gabriel Eshun, noted that tourism of which hospitality was a part was the key and road to development and so it should not be taken for granted.
He added that the pieces of equipment given to the schools were seeds expected to grow and make impacts; therefore, they should be put to good use and used for the purpose for which they were presented.
