Govt to create land banks to enhance investment- Jake

Keta, Aug. 9, GNA- Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Tourism and the Beautification of the Capital City, on Friday said government was collaborating with landowners for the creation of land banks to facilitate investment under the National Tourism Development Programme (GTDP).

He said this would help to offset problems investors face in the acquisition of land for projects.

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey was addressing a meeting of the Keta District Assembly to solicit their support for the development of tourism in the Keta District in relation to the Keta Sea Defence Project. The Minister, who was on his last leg of a three-day tour of tourism sites in the Volta Region, said tourism is becoming a major foreign exchange earner and that government was making frantic efforts to develop the sector.

He said government wants to triple tourism revenue, which was 300 million dollars last year, to 1.5 billion dollars in 2007. The Minister said the employment in the sector which stands at 150,000 as at now would also be increased to about 300,000 by 2007. He said only 20 per cent of workforce in the sector was trained, saying that would have to change to match the number and quality of tourist facilities in the country.

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said Ghana does not have big "towers to showcase but has everything in moderation, such as the best beaches, echo systems, animal sanctuaries, forest and vibrant cultures to offer tourists".

He said out of a total of 3,000 bird types in the world, 500 of them can be found at the Winneba Bird Sanctuary, while 27 of the 40 Castles and Forts in Africa are in Ghana.

The Minister said the country would have to invest in harbours, Ports and roads to attract potential investors into the sector. He described Volta Region as the "fastest growing tourism region in the country, moving from seven to 13 per cent on the tourism development ladder within six years with hotels and other facilities spreading all over".

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey asked the people of Keta to take advantage of tourists from the sub-region and Europe who would be longing to see the huge land reclamation effort at Keta.

Miss Mabel Yemidi of the Lands Commission said beaches are national resources like gold, which are to be invested in the government and urged the people of the area to assist the government to develop them Mr Emmanuel Vorkeh, Keta District Chief Executive (DCE) urged the Assembly Members to identify tourism sites in their various areas and report to the Assembly for development.

He said the main obstacle to development of the beaches is lack of access roads, which must be vigorously undertaken to open up the beaches.