Ghanaian businessman Richard Nii Armah Quaye has defended claims about his early work experience in the United Kingdom, insisting that accounts of washing up to 5,000 plates a day as a dishwasher were not exaggerated.
Quaye, who first made the claim in a 2025 interview, revisited the issue during a recent appearance on The Delay Show with media personality Deloris Frimpong Manso, offering what he said was a detailed explanation of the workload he handled at the time.
“Some people have never travelled before. Others travelled but never worked, so they cannot relate to my narrative,” he said. “I think I was even conservative about the 5,000 figure because I washed more than that in a day.”
Breaking down the numbers
Now, the president of RNAQ Holdings, Quaye, explained that the volume of dishes was tied to the scale of hotel operations, noting that large hotels in the UK can accommodate thousands of guests at a time.
“There are hotels in the West with over 2,000 rooms; some even have 5,000 rooms,” he said. “Let’s say the hotel I worked in had 1,000 rooms. If occupants from those rooms come for breakfast, you’re dealing with thousands of people.”
He argued that the number of plates used extends beyond individual meals, factoring in food preparation processes in hotel kitchens.
“When you go for breakfast, how many plates do you use? A lot. And beyond that, the food has to be prepared, which also uses many dishes,” he explained. “By the time you finish preparing food for about 3,000 people, a lot of dishes would have been used—and that’s just breakfast. There is lunch as well.”
According to him, even if only a portion of guests returned for subsequent meals, the cumulative workload would still result in thousands of items being washed daily.
Responding to public skepticism
Quaye’s earlier comments had sparked debate on social media, with some users questioning the plausibility of washing 5,000 plates in a single day and attempting to calculate the workload.
Addressing the skepticism, he maintained that the figure was not only accurate but understated.
“People disputed this and were using calculators doing computations,” he said. “I’ve come to realise that a lot of people are confidently ignorant. I never exaggerated. I was even charitable with the 5,000 figure.”
From early jobs to business career
Quaye’s remarks form part of a broader narrative about his early life and career, which he has frequently referenced in interviews. He has often cited his experiences working abroad as formative, contributing to his work ethic and approach to business.
Today, he is known for his involvement in multiple business ventures, with his story often framed around a progression from modest beginnings to his current standing in Ghana’s entrepreneurial space.
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