ILO SCORE Programme Set to Roll-Out Hospitality Coaching (HoCo) in Ghana

ACCRA (ILO News): Following the success story of the ILO SCORE Programme in Ghana in manufacturing, the Ghana Hotels Association (GHA) expressed a desire to work with ILO to enhance the performances of its members. Based on the interest, commitment and enthusiasm of the GHA, ILO SCORE Ghana planned a set of events aimed at supporting the hospitality sector in Ghana. These activities kick-started with the introduction of the SCORE ’Hospitality Coaching (HoCo)’’ training modules at the quarterly meeting of the GHA on 29 May 2019.

In a presentation by the National Project Coordinator (NPC) of SCORE project- Mr Samuel Asiedu provided an overview of HoCo to the participants. He informed that the HoCo intervention consist of a baseline assessment of the facility, a 3-day classroom training and 4 enterprise visits’ for a period of 3-months. The output of the assessment is utilized as the basis of the Enterprise Improvement Plan, which lays out improvement activities designed to address the weaknesses and harness opportunities to improve and grow the enterprise. He noted that the three SCORE HoCo modules- Workplace Cooperation; Service Excellence Good Environmental Practice; Hygiene, Occupational Safety and Health have been adapted and developed from the original five SCORE Training modules. The target enterprises for HoCo training are hotels, guest houses and restaurants.

The participants at the gathering indicated excitement about the capacity building programme HoCo , noting that it would address a number of challenges in the sector including but not limited to high staff turnover at hotels, and low level of worker skills of the hospitality industry workforce and questioned to mention a few. In response, the NPC stated that the programme was being introduced to address these needs.

Addressing the meeting, and speaking on behalf of GHA, Mr. Benjamin Afunya, the Greater Accra Chairman of GHA indicated their resolve to embrace the intervention and suggested that SCORE HoCo be implemented through their Zonal structures in all regions of Ghana. He commended the presentation and expressed their readiness to cooperate with ILO SCORE Ghana.

As part of the implementation strategy for SCORE HoCo in Ghana, the ILO is preparing to train and certify the first set of trainers in July, 2019 in Accra. SCORE HoCo holds a lot of promise for the hospitality industry in Ghana. The aim is to implement a successful programme which will improve the reputation of SMEs in the sector, allow them to achieve their full potentials and put Ghana on the map as a reputable, high-standard destination in Africa.

The SCORE programme is being funded by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Switzerland and Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), Norway.