The President of the National Drinking Bar Operators Association of Ghana (NADBOA), Mr Kwame Afreh (Jnr), has called for the amendment of PNDC Law 1205 of 1979, which deals with the establishment of drinking bars.

This, he said, would enable the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) to deal effectively with quack drinking bar and restaurant operators.

Mr Afreh (Jnr) said the amendment of the law would also empower the courts to impose 'formative' fines on offenders.

Addressing the first ever-regional congress of the Central Region branch of the association at Winneba, he said for the GTB to make headway in the tourism industry, laws governing the industry must be strengthened.

Mr Afreh emphasized the need for government to provide adequate budgetary allocation for the GTB to make it effective.

Mr Sampson Donkor, Central Regional Director of the GTB, said the Board would as from April, this year, embark on nation-wide registration of all drinking bars and restaurants.

According to Mr Donkor, the move would ensure sanity in the operations of owners to attract more tourists into the country.

Mr David Forster-Forson, the Executive Director of the Central Region Development Commission, said the establishment of special credit scheme under which members of NADBOA could be given loans after saving with the scheme to secure financial support to promote their businesses.

Mr John Antwi-Boateng, Regional Funding Officer of the commission, said training programmes would be organised for small-scale business operators in the region to improve their knowledge and skills in business planning, accounting procedures, and marketing to enable them maximize returns.

The District Chief Executive for Awutu-Effutu-Senya, Captain Steve Kwamena Armah (Rtd), in a speech read on his behalf, charged drinking bar operators to pay their taxes regularly and promptly and help in exposing hard drugs dealers.

All the 10 regional executive officer, who were elected unopposed by the congress, included Mr Kow Arthur, chairman, E.B. Bonful, Vice-chairman, J.R. Quainoo, secretary and Mr Ebenezer Crentsil assistant secretary.

Others were: Maxwell Amo Ghunney, organizer, Kingbert Edvanko, assistant organizer and Mis Vida Idan, financial secretary.

The rest were: Miss Agnes Steele Dadzie, treasurer, Madam Theresa Rhule women's organizer and Madam Joyce Amankwaah, assistant women's organizer.

Mr Arthur on behalf of the executives thanked the congress for the honour done them and called for cooperation and dedication to enable them achieve their set goals.