Ghana To Earn Over $1 Billion Through Tourism

Ghana is determined to earn over one billion dollars from one million tourists under a five-year strategic Tourism Development Plan which spans 2003-2007.

The Minister for Tourism and the Modernisation of the Capital City, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey said this in a speech read for him at the inauguration of a 150-million cedis Tourists site at Liate-Wote in the Hohoe District of the Volta Region last Friday. Facilities at the site include an office complex, kitchen, restaurant and conference centre and it would be funded by the United states Agency for International Development (USAID) and SNV Netherlands through the National Culture Research Centre Ghana.

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said under the five-year plan access roads to tourism sites would be improved and called on local businessmen to invest in tourism-oriented businesses in their localities. He told the communities with tourism attractions that development of such attractions depended on them.

The Minister said community based eco-tourism initiatives such as the Tagbo Waterfalls with its flora and abundant butterflies and the Afadjato Mountain as well as cultural attractions of those places would provide opportunities for visitors to patronise local products thereby reducing poverty.

Mr Kofi Boateng, Special Assistant at the Volta Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) urged the people to maintain the facility and adopt contingency plans to protect tourism attractions in the area from the ravages of bushfires.

Mr James Dogbe, Hohoe District Chief Executive assured the people that road projects in the district were on course and solicited their support for the government in its efforts to develop the country.