Betrayed by Integrity follows the story of Yawa-Attah, a dedicated employee who encounters unexpected betrayal. Despite her unwavering commitment to her role, she is abruptly dismissed from her job, accused of rudeness-a charge she finds both unjust and deeply painful.
The dismissal stems from her inability to fulfill a request for three rooms from a government agency, as the hotel was fully occupied. Moreover, the agency had been blacklisted, leaving her with no viable options.
The narrative delves into her emotional journey as she wrestles with feelings of betrayal, isolation, and disbelief. It vividly portrays her inner turmoil, the cold indifference of a workplace that once felt familiar, and the harsh reality of confronting systemic injustice. Amid the devastation, Yawa-Attah’s faith in God sustains her resilience, inspiring her to rise above this defining moment despite an unclear future.
A Company is Conceived-Uncertainties
Yawa-Attah returned to Ghana after spending five years in the USA. Her dismissal became a stepping stone, providing an opportunity to immerse herself into what she thought was an abrupt end to pursuing a career in the hotel industry. Now with extensive experience in the hospitality sector—ranging from operational roles to supervisory positions at large chain hotels and specialty restaurants—and further enriched by her education in Hospitality Administration, she developed a strong ambition to make a meaningful impact in the industry back home.
After nine months of searching for a suitable job, Yawa-Attah was delighted to secure employment with the Tourism Authority, an organization closely aligned with her career aspirations. Recognizing Yawa-Atta’s distinctive expertise and experience, the Managing Director created a new department, staffed with two people, Yawa-Attah and a department head, Mr. Osei-Mensah.
As a training officer, her responsibility was to design and implement training programs for the industry, which included car rental operations, a broad range of food and beverage service operations, and accommodation facilities. This role was both exciting and challenging. Despite working with a limited budget, Yawa-Attah remained determined, frequently using her own resources to complete her tasks. However, her dedication earned her a teasing nickname from some colleagues, causing her to question the worth of her efforts and how long she could maintain them. However, this level of dedication led some of her colleagues to create a teasing nickname for her, leaving her questioning the value of her efforts and wondering how long she could sustain them.
After four successful months, Yawa-Attah found herself navigating a complex web of bureaucratic procedures, where even simple tasks required multiple layers of approval. This was a stark contrast to her experiences in the US, where efficiency and streamlined processes were the norm. Although she appreciated the slower pace and more relaxed work environment, the growing bureaucracy heightened her frustration, creating a stressful atmosphere as she struggled to meet deadlines. The result-oriented work ethic she had grown accustomed to motivated her to strive for excellence, making her job both fulfilling and rewarding
The thought of starting her own business had crossed Yawa-Attah’s mind several times. Having thrived in the diverse and inclusive work culture of the U.S., she acknowledged that the companies she had worked with were large and well-established, with tested and approved systems in place.
Starting her own company back home would require navigating cultural norms and expectations that differed significantly from those she had grown accustomed to during her five-year stay abroad. She began to anticipate numerous frustrations and challenges that she would likely face in pursuing her dream of entrepreneurship.
Yawa-Attah caught herself voicing her thoughts, “How effective will my dream business be here in Ghana? Can I really make it work? Will it thrive, or will I face setbacks I can’t overcome?”
Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
