Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) has resumed the collection of the one percent tourism levy on behalf of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), being one of the banks mandated to collect and manage levies for the Tourism Development Fund.

The Managing Director of the bank, Mr Daniel Asiedu, expressed his delight about the decision of the GTA to appoint the bank as a collector of the levy; he said that the bank has the proven track record and capacity to provide collection services to any organisation or institution in need of that service.

“Considering our wide branch network of 78, the GTA couldn’t have gotten a better partner bank than ADB to help collect the levy on its behalf, he said.

According to Mr Asiedu, the bank will move into action to ensure that all stakeholders are notified of the bank’s appointment as an authorised collector of the Tourism Development Levy.

The Tourism Development Fund is a fund administered by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), with the objective of providing funding for tourism and tourism-related projects. To this end, tourism enterprises are required by the Tourism Act 2011 – Act 817 – to pay levies towards the Fund.

These enterprises include hotels, guest houses, lodges, hostels, travel and tour agencies, and car rental companies. Others include movie houses, theatres, entertainment and conference centres, tourist sites, night clubs, spots, and spas.

Mr Asiedu indicated that industry players in the tourism sector could patronise any of the 78 branches nationwide to make payments of the one percent tourism levy to the GTA.

“Being the most successful indigenous bank, we believe the tourism sector has the potential to contribute immensely to the growth of our economy and we are determined to assist the GTA and the Ministry achieve its aim of making the sector the number one foreign exchange earner for the country,” he said.

Chief Commercial Officer at ADB Mr Edward Ian Armah-Mensah, said: “ADB’s appointment as an official collection bank for the GTA is consistent with our continuing support to the growth of our country.

“We also provide collection services on behalf of the National Lotteries Authority, Electricity Company of Ghana, DSTV, MTN Mobile Money, National Service Scheme, GBC and several others.”