Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra has dismissed reports that it is planning to lay off 85% of its employees amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Following the suspension of some employees of hotels, particularly contract workers, reports indicated that the 5-star hotel was going to sack majority of its employees because business has drastically gone down.

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, said in Parliament on Friday, 3 March 2020 that, the outbreak of coronavirus was impacting the hospitality industry negatively.

“For a hotel like Kempinski which has about 400 workers, they are letting 340 go home. They are closing about four floors of that hotel… And those become really difficult moments.

“It is a sobering moment… we do get panic attacks as we wake up thinking of how best to go about it,” Mr Ofori-Atta told the legislature.

But in a press release, the management of Kempinski said: “Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra is aware of news stories circulating in the media about an imminent retrenchment and possible closure of the hotel in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This news is incorrect. Hotel Management wishes to clarify that the hotel has no plans to close down or retrench any of its staff at the moment”.

It added: “We observe strict guidance and directories given by local and international authorities and we have put in place significant measures to ensure smooth business continuity.

The well-being of our guests and staff remains our utmost priority.”