By Enock Akonnor enockakonnor2013@gmail.com
Ashanti Regional officials of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) on Thursday 18th May 2023 closed down Crystal Rose Ambassador Hotel.
They have also withdrawn the GTA’s Operational license of the same facility, all owing to its failure to remit to government an accumulated debt of GHs 12,473.74 on tourism levy.
Keys to the hotel rooms were confiscated as well.
Similar action was enforced on the same day by officials against other hospitality facilities in the region that have defaulted in paying the 1 percent tourism levy.
Picture (officials at Summer Park hotel)
Their names and apportioned debt are;
- ALICE TEE HOTEL-Konong (GH 11,281.13)
- DIAMOND HOTEL-Dichemso (GH 5,244.29)
- GISGO CATERING SERVICES-Atwima Boko (GH29,338.60)S
- SUMMER PARK HOTEL-Emena (GH 7,271.16)
- PICE RESTAURANT-Asokwa (GH 2,339.62)
Same operation will be mounted by officials of GTA against facilities catalogued below on Friday 19th May 2023;
Picture (officials at Alice Tee Hotel)
- PARADISE HOTEL-Ridge (GH 2,156.38)
- JUSTICE HOTEL-Amakom (GH 4,727.58)
- BETTER MUM GUEST HOUSE-Santasi (GH 6,076.45)K
- HOTEL- Ahodwo (GH 5,199.36)K
- HOTEL- Ahodwo (GH 5,199.36)
- OKOKROKO CLASSIC-Kronom Abuohia (GH 7,330.99)
Picture (officials at Pice Restaurant)
Officials disclosed during the first day of operations that management of X5 PLUS PUB AND RESTAURANT which previously defaulted in paying a piled up debt of GH 28,636.23 has so far been able to remit to government an amount of GH 10,000.
Picture (officials at Summer Park Hotel)
They have pledged to pay the remaining arrears on 25th May 2023. SWEET ROSES RESTAURANT which is located at Asokwa has also paid GH 5,000 out of GH 16,810.4,MARBON HOTEL GH 4,000 out of GH7,889.52, KITTICILLY CAR RENTALS GH 1000.
The trio did not suffer a closure.
Picture (pasting of closure notice at Alice Tee Hotel)
The operation turned out more dramatic as the Mr. Bright Kwaku Owusu, CEO of the highest defaulting facility GISGO CATERING SERVICES claimed he was not privy to the final notice of default on the payment of the 1% tourism levy which was sent to his outfit a month before the operation.
All the abovementioned accumlated debts were arrived at after GTA monitoring team had conducted an audit at the facilities in pursuant to section 13 of the Tourism (levy) Regulations, 2012 (L.I 2185).
It emerged that managers of the facilities have defaulted in payment of 1% tourism levy as per section (7) of the L.I.
Briefing the media after the operation, Ashanti regional Director for GTA Mr. Frederick Adjei-Rudolph said over 700 facilities in the region have been certified to collect and pay the levies to government and that less than half of the number pay the levy.
“To be very honest with you I am not satisfied with the level of compliance and as long as I am in this region, I will make sure that everbody complys. We will not rest on them till they pay those monies.”
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