Ghana Tourism Authority shuts down hostels in K’dua

THE KOFORIDUA Technical University has been saddled with a major hostel accommodation problem following the closure of sixteen private hostel facilities occupied mostly by students of the university.
The effect of the closure is that the students would have to hassle for hostel accommodation elsewhere when school re-opens on February 10.
The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) office in the Eastern Region on Monday commenced closing down some illegal student hostels and other hotels in the region.
Sixteen private hostels in Koforidua and a hotel in Akuapem Akropong were shut down in the exercise held on Monday and Tuesday respectively.
The facilities are said to be operating without licences from the GTA, contrary to the Tourism Act of 2011 (Act 817), hence, the closures.
The hostels that were closed down on Monday were Vine Yard, Lincoln, Universal, Mr Doe, Sir Joe and Elite hostels.
Those closed down on Tuesday were Solo, Helleluyah, Rising Bell, Madiba, Frontline, Hostel 99, Stella, Central, Pacesetters and Supreme Hostel, all located in Koforidua.
Provision of private hostel facilities in the area has become a lucrative business which many landlords and investors have ventured into without recourse to standards.
The private hostels provide accommodation to students mostly from Koforidua Technical University due to lack of adequate hostels for students admitted.
The Eastern regional manager of the GTA, Mr Frederick Adjei-Rudolf, told the DAILY HERITAGE t hat the exercise was to ensure compliance.
“For you to operate any accommodation establishment you have to fulfil some statutory obligations. The first thing is to come to the GTA, purchase a registration form after which you are given a stipulated registration fee to pay. The registration fee will depend on the number of rooms that you have and category of the facility you operate,” he said.
Mr Adjei-Rudolf further explained that, “after that you need to submit documents from various agencies of state such as the Fire Service, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Police Service and Environmental Health Division of the District Assembly. The EPA would have to certify you, Town and Country would have to certify you have a building permit so when all these agencies certify that you are in good standing with them and you finish the registration, then we come in to inspect and give you the licence to operate if you meet all the requirements.”
According to the regional manager, those with licence are expected to renew them yearly.
He said the Eastern regional office of the GTA will fully enforce the tourism regulations to ensure strict compliance.