Koforidua (Greater Accra) 22 Feb.?99
The Eastern Region is to market its investments and tourism potentials through the Internet by the end of March this year. This follows the acquisition of the website for the project, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, deputy Eastern Regional Minister, has said in a brief to an inspection team from the World Tourism Organisation and officials of the Ministry of Tourism at the weekend.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said the Internet connection was part of preparations by the Regional Coordinating Council to host delegates to the WTO conference in Ghana at Koforidua in May this year. The team led by Owuraku Amofa, deputy minister of Tourism and officials of the WTO were at Koforidua at the weekend to inspect facilities and other measures being put in place for the conference, the second to be held in Ghana within a five-year period.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said activities planned to host the delegates include a durbar of chiefs and people of the New Juaben traditional area to coincide with the annual Akwantukese festival. There will also be visits to some tourist centres in the region as well as a dinner dance. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said a committee has been set up to organise the programme for the hosting of the conference and the RCC, chiefs and district assemblies, were working hard to ensure that "this objective is achieved".
Owuraku Amofa said the conference would attract about 1,500 delegates including journalists from Europe and the United States. Ghana has been priviledged to host the conference twice within five years, an indication of the relentless effort of my ministry to become the largest foreign exchange earner for Ghana, he said and expressed confidence in the region's ability to successfully host the conference. Ms Jane Thompson, leader of the WTO delegation was happy about the preparations so far made and said the delegates were looking forward to "a memorable event".