Dr Edward Ackah-Nyamike, President, Ghana Hotels Association, has urged the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts to revive the Public–Private Partnership Forum (PPPF), mandated under the Tourism Act.
He said the absence of the forum was fueling growing perceptions of the Ministry prioritizing the creative arts over tourism and hospitality.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday in Accra, he said under PPPF platform the Minister was required to meet industry players quarterly to discuss challenges, provide policy updates and address concerns affecting the sector.
He noted that the forum had not been functioning since the current minister assumed office, creating a communication gap that had allowed speculation and dissatisfaction to spread within the tourism industry.
“If the minister is meeting industry players every quarter, any outstanding issues or concerns facing the sector will be raised for clarification. But without these regular engagements, people form their own impressions, and that is what is happening now,” he said.
Dr Ackah-Nyamike said many stakeholders had begun to feel that the creative industry was receiving more attention, particularly following recent budgetary emphasis on projects such as the national theatre initiative and the GH¢20 million Creative Arts Fund.
He said these perceptions might not necessarily reflect the Minister’s actual priorities, but the absence of the PPPF meant that the industry was not receiving timely updates on the Ministry’s activities in the tourism space.
“For all we know, she may be doing far more for tourism than for the creative industry, but because there is no regular feedback through the PPPF, people continue to speculate,” he said.
He pointed out that the same concerns surrounded the Tourism Development Fund, adding that the PPPF would have provided a platform for the Ministry to explain the use of the fund and whether government had fulfilled its seed money obligation since the fund’s inception in 2012.
The GHA President stressed that tourism thrived on strong public–private collaboration, and without consistent engagement, the sector risked losing direction and momentum.
“The PPPF is an official monitoring and communication system. If the Minister cannot attend a meeting, the deputy should, and if not the deputy, then the Chief Director. What is important is that the updates must continue,” he noted.
He said restoring the forum would help industry players understand the Ministry’s focus, the priorities and the investment of Tourism Development Fund.
“We need regular updates to know what is going on and where the emphasis is. That is what will bring the harmony and confidence the industry needs,” he said.
