CULTURAL NEWS
Monday, July 9, 2007
Explore potentials in Tourism Industry – Jake
Story: Naomi Raleigh Smith
HE former Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations, Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, has said that it is about time Ghana explored all the tourism potential in the country, in addition to known ones, to enable the country to benefit fully from the tourism sector.
He noted that Malaysia made a huge profit of $36 billion in its tourism sector, while Ghana made only $970 million within this year.
He noted that Ghana could equal Malaysia in the tourism drive if it economically explored all its tourism potential.
Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey said this at this year’s first National Regatta Festival of the chiefs and people of the Edina Traditional Area at Elmina.
The festival is celebrated annually to remember the Benya god and the founder of the ancient town, Kwameka.
It is also to lift the six months’ ban on new yam and corn in the new season.
Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey hinted that regattas would be organized as an economic venture to economically empower coastal communities.
He advised the chiefs and people to unite to ensure peace and to help attract development to the area. The District Chief Executive for Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem, Mr. Frank Asmah, said the district had adopted five strategies to improve upon the district’s social and economic development by the year 2015.
They included tourist development, sanitation and waste management, educational development, healthcare development and fishing harbour development.
Mr. Asmah said despite the move by the district to enhance tourism, the youth in the area had been harassing tourists who came there.
He, however, said the assistance of the regional police had been sought to deal with the situation.
The acting Executive Director of the Ghana Tourist Board, Mr. Martin Mireku, said the competitors of the regatta were selected from Biriwa, Moree, Abusei (in the Western Region) and Elmina to give the competition a national face.
He said it was to also expose the tourism potential of the communities, as well as help create employment and improve the economies of the communities.
*Source
The Daily Graphic - Monday, July 9, 2007 Page: 24 |