Govt will continue to encourage private companies

H.E Mr. Isaac Osei, Ghana's Envoy to the UK has assured Ghanaian enterprises operating within and outside the country that the NPP Government would continue to provide concrete support for their orderly growth and development. Government, he said, would also not relax in its efforts to constantly review policy initiatives and regulations to reduce the cost of doing business and ensure the smooth operations of the companies. High Commissioner Osei, made the remarks in London at the first anniversary celebrations of Ghana Tours, operators of Britannia Airways flights to Ghana. The event, interspersed with cultural drumming and dance, exotic fashion shows depicting Ghanaian costumes interlaced with kente designs and acrobatic displays, was attended by a cross section of the Ghanaian community including opinion leaders, friends of Ghana, prominent tourism and travel operators and media personnel in the tourism sector. Dignitaries who attended the plush event included Rt. Hon. Paul Boateng, British Chief Secretary to the Treasury; Mr. Kevin Hatton, Managing Director of Britannia Airways; Mrs. Bridget Katsriku, Chief Director Ministry of Tourism & Modernisation of the Capital City who represented her Minister; Dr. Lesley Owusu Nyantekyi, Chairman of the Board of Ghana Tours; Mr. Anthony Ogunseitan, Managing Director, Ghana Tours; Mr. Fergus Kumi, Manager, Ghana Tours; Mr. Al Hamilton, Chief Executive of Commonwealth Sports Awards (UK); Messrs Chris Aniefiok Umoh and Daniel Acheampong, both directors of the company. Mr. Osei paid tribute to the founding fathers of the company for establishing the flight operations into Ghana and added that the fact that Ghana Tours had become a household name was a testimony to the good work the company had rendered in the airline industry within a short space of time. He also thanked Britannia Airways for collaborating with Ghana Tours in its operations and noted that the healthy partnership would encourage other investors who were still sitting on the fence to invest in Ghana. Despite the spirited performance, High Commissioner Isaac Osei called on the management to strategise for the future in other to prevent the company for being overtaken by events especially with the re-emergence soon of a new Ghana National Airline. “We do not want to see Ghana Tours out of the market. We want Ghana Tours to be much a part of the highly competitive market,” he said. Mr. Osei expressed the hope that Ghana Tours would be able to carve a niche which would sustain the company financially in the years to come. He told his audience that the country was moving forward with pride and added that the NPP government under President Kufuor had within the last few years been able to lay the basis for growth and development in Ghana not only in the establishment of macroeconomic stability in the economic sphere but also in terms of the peace and stability of social conditions in the country. Mr. Ian McQuade, Sales Manager of Britannia Airways described the company's collaboration with Ghana Tours as a great success and the beginning of good things for the ensuing years. Mr. Anthony Ogunseitan, Managing Director of Ghana Tours appealed to the public to continue to patronise Ghana Tours and assured them that the company would continue to keep faith with them. He thanked the management of Britannia Airways for its cooperation during the past year which had turned their aspirations of the founding fathers into reality. At the event, a number of travel agents and directors were honoured and presented with commemorative plaques. The companies are J F K Travels, Bliss Travels, Nam Travels, Dawling Travels and Wayoosi Travels. The two directors who were honoured for their contribution to the development of the company were Messrs Daniel Acheampong and Chris Aniefiok Umoh. Success Of Africa Depends On Indigenous African Enterprise - Says British Chief Secretary To The Treasury Rt. Hon. Paul Boateng, British Chief Secretary to the Treasury has said the key to the success of Africa was the development of indigenous African enterprise. Speaking in London at the 1st Anniversary celebration of Ghana Tours operators of Britannia Airways flights to Ghana, Mr. Boateng said the company had by its performance demonstrated a way forward for Africa. He said foreign aid and debt forgiveness would come to nothing without the sort of enterprise, foresight and dynamism represented by the superb operations of Ghana Tours. Hon Paul Boateng urged the travelling public to Ghana including British, Ghanaians and blacks in the Diaspora to patronise Ghana Tours. He declared; “It is no use praising Ghana Tours for its success but at the same time not supporting it”. He urged the Ghana government to continue its initiatives aimed at bringing prosperity to the nation and called on Ghana Tours not to rest on its oars. “For Ghana Tours, for Ghana, for Africa, private enterprise and its initiatives for the future, backed by the sort of stewardship that is currently represented by the government of Ghana, which has led to high economic growth, lower inflation and interest rates, good governance for the country, I say, Forward Ever, Backward Never” said Rt. Hon. Paul Boateng. Sustainable Charter Flight Operation Is Dear To The Heart Of The Government – Acting Minister Of Tourism & Mobilisation Of The Capital City Hon. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Acting Minister of Tourism and Mobilisation of the Capital City had said that the sustained development of charter flight operations into Ghana was dear to the heart of the government.

Consequently, he said, the government would continue to give the necessary assistance to operators to enable them improve upon their service delivery.

These remarks were contained in a message read by Mrs. Bridget Katsriku, Chief Director of the Ministry on his behalf in London at the 1st anniversary of Ghana Tours, operators of Britannia Airways flights into Ghana.

Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey said the continuous low cost but quality travel offered by the charter flight operators would not only help in making Ghana's destination attractive but ensured that tourists would always have enough money to spend while in Ghana.

He urged the private sector and Ghana Tours to explore innovative ways of developing strategies aimed at selling Ghana as good tourist destination.

The Hon. Minister congratulated the company for the bold initiative to invest in the tour and airline industry within the framework of the investment opportunities in the sector and thanked its clients for making the operations of the company a reality.

Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey was optimistic that with dedication and efficiency, Ghana Tours would sustain the momentum in the ensuing years which would result in the lowering of airfares – thus contributing to the Ministry's goal of attracting one million tourists into Ghana by 2007.