THE EFFECTS OF HYGIENE PRACTICES IN THE OPERATION OF RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS IN THE NANDOM DISTRICT OF THE UPPER WEST REGION

ABSTRACT This collective case study on the effect of hygiene practices on the operations of hospitality businesses in the Nandom District had premised that the sub-sector faced a myriad of hygiene and sanitation problems requiring empirical investigation. Qualitative and quantitative information gathering techniques were employed to collect primary data from 30 respondents using a semi-structured interview schedule and observation. Results indicated that all 6 businesses were legally registered, employed between 4 and 20 full-time workers and used ICT tools to take food orders and room reservations. The standard of hygiene observance was rated from poor or low and moderate to high. Effects of hygiene practices on the businesses were larger market share, greater customer satisfaction and loyalty, better health and safety, greater efficiency and productivity. Challenges to hygiene observance were cost of detergents/cleaning materials, distance from suppliers, lack of hygiene awareness, poor staff and community attitudes, low worker-education, poor waste management and environmental health personnel deficit. The study recommends intensified education and broader coverage of observance of best hygiene practices, direction of more resources into staff in-service training and staff education on the relevance and importance of hygiene and sanitation. State should resource regulatory bodies to enforce hygiene and sanitation bye-laws, establish waste re-cycling companies, and make detergents, equipment and cleansing materials accessible and affordable to all.