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Use
indigenous Dishes to boost Tourism-Quashigah
Accra, Aug. 9, Ghanadot/GNA-Major
Courage Quashigah (Rtd), Minister of Health has observed
that if indigenous Ghanaian dishes were prepared and
presented well and safely, they could have an enviable and
important role to play in the tourism industry.
To this end, he said, local dishes should be given the
needed support from the public and other institutions
concerned.
Maj. Quashigah, who made the observation in an address read
for him at the launch of a Support Fund by members of the
Ghana Traditional Caterers’ Association (GTCA) in Accra on
Friday, said when safely prepared and given the push,
indigenous dishes could then boost the tourism industry by
earning more foreign exchange for the nation.
The Fund, whose launch had “Contribution To National
Development, Tourism and Welfare Of Ghana Traditional
Caterers”, is to assist the various Metropolitan, Municipal
and District Assemblies in solving the ever-mounting garbage
or waste problems confronting them.
The Minister commended members of GTCA for their hard work,
and pledged his ministry’s support for its activities.
Maj. Quashigah recalled that the implementation of the
Regenerative Health and Nutrition Programme (RHNP) by the
Ministry of Health in 2007, “places more emphasis on
improvement in lifestyles, health promotion, disease
prevention and restoration of life.”
The programme, he said, “is focused on healthy eating,
improving food safety, regular exercises, drinking potable
water, resting, improving environmental sanitation,
improving personal hygiene and ensuring lifestyles that
promote health.”
He charged members of GTCA to contribute their quota to
ensure the success of the RHNP, by “cooking with wholesome
and quality raw materials, employing measures that will
ensure the safety of the food during its preparation, and
ensuring good environmental sanitation.”
Maj. Quashigah advised them not only to stay united, focused
and innovative, but also embrace the RHNP to help improve
the health status of Ghanaians.
Mrs. Oboshie Sai-Cofie, Minister of Tourism and Diasporan
Relations urged members of the Association to strive to
uplift the image of Tourism through improved services,
better customer satisfaction, renewed awareness of hygiene
and improved environmental protection.
Mrs Sai-Cofie whose speech was also read for her, appealed
to Assemblies to support GTCA in its vision to grow.
Nana Apraku Tuffour, National Financial Secretary of the
Association pledged members’ desire to collaborate with the
Assemblies to educate food vendors on basic hygiene
practices, and environmental cleanliness, as a means of
boosting tourism in the country.
Nana Tuffour appealed to Ministries of Health and Local
Government, the Food and Drugs Board, the Ghana Tourist
Board and the Environmental Protection Agency to come out
with better food hygiene enforcement and compliance
mechanisms that would serve as a guide for members of the
Association in their dealings with the public.
Mr. Emmanuel A Ansong, National Public Relations Officer of
the Association, thanked sponsors of the Support Fund for
their generous contributions and urged members to pay their
contributions of One Ghana Cedis each towards the fund, in
order to make it achieve its set goals.
Nii Adjei Kraku, Tema Mantse, and Chairman for the occasion,
asked managers of the Fund to ensure transparency and
accountability at all times, to enable it to grow.
GNA
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