International Labour Organization, Africa Tourism Research Network to train 40 traditional caterers, Bonwire Kente weavers

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) in partnership with Africa Tourism Research Network (ATRN) is organizing a 4-day training session for about 40 traditional caterers and kente weavers in the Ashanti Region in social media and digital marketing skills.

The training is being conducted by African Skills Hub with support from the ILO’s Global Program on Skills and Lifelong Learning/SKILL UP Ghana Component.

Present at the workshop were, Mr Frederick Adjei-Rudolph Regional Director of Ghana Tourism Authority, Nana Francis President of the Ghana Traditional Caterers Association, Mr Eric Kwarteng President of the Bonwire Kente Weavers Association and Mr Frank Kwasi Adetor National Project Coordinator - ILO’s Global Program on Skills and Lifelong Learning.

The Chairman for the occasion, the Regional Director of GTA, Mr Frederick Adjei-Rudolph underscored the need for the participants to acknowledge and accept the role digitisation and social media now play in their work and take advantage of the workshop to improve on their work while at the same time benefiting from the opportunities available on the social media platforms.

He stressed, “if you sit back and watch without taking advantage of digitisation, your jobs will be gone in no time.” He assured the participants that his outfit is always ready to give them the needed support and pledged to partner ATRN and other entities who are ready to support the sector in building capacities.

Joining the training session virtually, Ms. Vanessa Lareto Phala, the ILO Country Director for Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leon and the Laison for ECOWAS noted that as part of its core mandate, the ILO is poised to collaborate with the Government of Ghana and key stakeholder institutions to support, train and build capacities of constituents in various sectors of the economy in order to create decent and sustainable jobs, especially for the youth and women.

On his part, Mr. Frank Kwasi Adetor, the National Project Coordinator of ILO’s Global Program on Skills and Lifelong Learning reiterated the pivotal role digital marketing and social media skills can play in promoting and sustaining businesses especially in this post COVID19 era. “I wish to admonished the two trade associations to take the full advantage of this training by imparting the knowledge and skills acquired to others who could not participate in this session. “ can only succeed in transcending the boarders of Ghana by conforming to and upholding international standards in in your business operations”, Mr. Adetor further advised the participants.

Dr Patricia Owusu-Darko President of Institute Hospitality (IH) Ghana, former Dean of Graduate Studies at the Kumasi Technical University and Food Scientist also took the trainees through the essentials of food preservation and the dangers of not preserving food well.

Briefing the trainees, Mr Emmanuel Frimpong, Founding President of Africa Tourism Research Network (ATRN) emphasized the critical role digitisation and credible data play in tourism and hospitality sectors. He said, "over 80% of the players in this sector are informal yet they play a critical role in creating decent jobs for the youth and women, therefore it is important you are trained to take advantage of the benefits of social media marketing." He called on other development partners and organisations to partner with ATRN to train more informal sector workers in the tourism, hospitality and travel sectors in areas where they lack the needed skills. He also used the opportunity to thank ILO for their support to these sectors over the years.

The Global Program on Skills and Lifelong Learning/SKILL UP Ghana Project is an ILO initiative in Collaboration with the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training and funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation.