By Prince J. Musa in Kenema and Newman Anthony Levay in BO
The hospitability industry in Sierra Leone and the world at large has been one of the worst hit sectors by the Socio-Economic scourge occasioned by the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, due largely to travel ban locally and internationally.
Guesthouse and hotel owners and managers resorted to redundancy of their staff as a consequence, in order to save cost and be able to run their businesses with the minimal resources available.
Dohas Hotel is one of the luxurious hotels in Bo Town with over 50 rooms. It’s popular with many visitors to the district. But the scourge of COVID-19 has affected the business drastically, cutting down its guests by about 95%, according to the CEO of the hotel, Saleh Yayah. He explained that the situation got so serious that they had to lay off 40 out of 58 members of their staff, noting that there were plans to make redundant six more staffers.
“Our business has dropped by 95% and we had to lay off 40 of our Staff. Before COVID-19 business was perfect, we were doing well, but for now, even for us to meet our loan commitment at the bank is difficult,” Mr Yayah told Politico.
He therefore appealed for the government’s intervention to ensure that they are granted loan payment extension period in the banks if they should continue to be in business.
Fatmata Lamin, one of the redundant staffers at Dohas, told Politico that life had not been easy for her for the past two months since she lost her job.
“That job meant a lot to me and my family, but we were laid off even though we did nothing wrong. The manager said they there was no money because customers were not coming. But that is what God wants for us, so I have started doing some small business at home,” she explained.
Hotel Albertson in Kenema also faced a major constraint in the face of Covid-19. Its manager, Sallaymatu Faith Kamara, noted that the pandemic has brought a lot of problems for the hotel and guesthouse industry.
“It’s not only Hotel Albertson that was affected. Before COVID-19, I used to find it difficult with my financial report before auditors came. For the past three months, no business has been going on in our hotel, no guests and there is no stress for reporting,” she said.
She added: “Around April we usually get a lot of wedding programs, but all that was canceled. Part payments were made to us but the people have requested refund. Our staff that were made redundant were nice and hardworking, but since there was no money to pay them, we decided to keep them aside for the main time, until COVID ends.”
Miss Kamara called on the government through the Ministry of Tourism to consider those working in the hotel industry by finding ways and means to sustain them during this period.
The manager of Capitol Guesthouse and restaurant, Sheriff Hashim, told Politico that he had long made redundant eight out of his 14 member staff because of the prevailing circumstances.
“There is high expenditure on us. City council, NRA do come for tax payment or city rates. Salary, light bill, city rates and other expenditures are from our own pockets. Government needs to boost the tourism sector as COVID has affected us greatly,” he said.
Though the business situation remains the same, the Acting Manager of Paloma guesthouse, Subah Jid, told Politico that they have been able to maintain their 24 staff base with the same salary line as it was before COVID-19.
“We have 24 workers and they are still working with the same salary they used to get before COVID because our Executive Director does not only depend on the guesthouse to generate income but do other business. There has been no business at the guesthouse,” he said.
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