Local pilots to be trained for paragliding, training centre to be established - GTA

Kwahu Easter: Turnout was massive, GTA

We need pilots locally, GTA

Unfavourable weather conditions hampered the paragliding target

Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority has stated that his outfit is looking to establish a training centre to train local pilots for the paragliding activities in the Odweanoma Mountains.

According to him the unavailability of local pilots is the reason the paragliding happens only during the Easter festivities as pilots who come for the exercise come from other parts of the world.

Speaking on 3fm, he said, “We need pilots locally. There are some who have qualified to fly but they have to practice for a number of months so in the next few months we will have a centre there for people to be trained”.

“We have engaged the pilot on that so that is what we are aiming at”.

“Going forward, we will try and see if we can do it monthly or otherwise because for now, the pilots have been doing it for free for the past fifteen years, but we have to look at how to remunerate them. It’s more like voluntary activities for now”.

On the success of the just ended Easter celebrations in Kwahu the GTA boss said, they could not meet their target due to the heavy downpours even though turnout was massive.

“We had a target for general attendance, security, road safety, small business operators, among others…the turnout was massive”.

“The police did a wonderful job. The IGP himself was here in Kwahu. For the paragliding, the target was 300 and we had planned it from the Eastern Friday, Saturday and Monday, but we had a little over 200 because the rains did not help”.

He explained that “it was not up the numbers we targeted. The research teams are coming to do the analysis”.

“They did the calculation on hotel accommodation…the booking levels. And in the next few weeks, we will put out the results”.