Indigenous Caterers Association of Ghana inaugurated

Accra, June 18, GNA - The Indigenous Caterers Association of Ghana (ICAG), a novelty body to promote Ghanaian indigenous foods and its safe consumption, was inaugurated in Accra on Wednesday.
The Association with a membership of over 5,000 countrywide would mobilise the caterers to equip them with skills in hospitality management for the promotion of domestic tourism and address their concerns.
Mrs. Edith Addo, President of the Association, expressed concern that although 85 per cent of the population depended on services provided by indigenous caterers, the industry received low attention by government and stakeholders.
She said the industry which also remained an important employer of the youth, had also been neglected in terms of capacity building, adding that training by educational institutions often targeted hoteliers and restaurants and not food vendors.
Mrs. Addo said it was in the wake of these challenges that the Association was established to save the industry from losing to their continental counterparts.
The Association, she noted, would therefore work at flushing out all caterers whose activities had brought the industry into disrepute in order to attain a new image.
"We also seek to support the development agenda of the nation by ensuring that our members pay taxes and contribute their quota to national development,” she added.
The ICAG President called for support from corporate bodies to provide training to its members for quality service delivery and appealed to all food vendors to join the Association.
Ms. Oboshie Sai-Cofie, Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations, commended the caterers for coming together to promote their work, which was crucial, not only for the tourism industry, but health and national orientation as well.
She pledged support to the Association and asked them to apply for Micro-Finance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) to access loans to expand their businesses.
Ms Stella Apenteng, President of the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOFF), called on the caterers to adopt new techniques in cooking that would make indigenous food appealing to the public, while maintaining the local taste.
She advised the members to remain committed to the Association and co-operate with their Executives.