Domestic tourism: Let's Tour Ghana embarks on Volta delight

Let's Tour Ghana is a Tourist Club inaugurated (launched) by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) on 23rd March 2021 with the aim of promoting and projecting Domestic Tourism.

The mission and vision of this Club is to tour the 16 regions of Ghana and also to be one of the leading promoting entities of Tourism related activities in Ghana.

The Club was founded on the 10th of February, 2021 by Isaac Kofi Arthur, Rebecca Kumah and Lennox Leckson Leckey all NSS Personnel of the Ghana Tourism Authority.

The CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Akwasi Agyeman and his Deputy CEO's, Ekow Sampson (Director Of Operations) and Isaac Adomako Mensah (General Services) are highly appreciated for their tremendous support and affiliation to the club Let's Tour Ghana since it's inauguration.

Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA), led by their President, Alisa Osei Asamoah and her Executives Nana Okatakyie Anim, immediate past President of GHATOF and Yvonne Donkor (General Secretary) are highly appreciated for their massive support and guidance for Let's Tour Ghana.

Let's Tour Ghana club leaders, Isaac Kofi Arthur (President), Lennox Leckson Leckey (Vice President) and Rebecca Kumah (Financial Secretary) in partnership with Hausa Tours championed by Fuseini Nawaru Mohammed, CEO of Hausa Tours on the 29th of May, 2021 embarked on their second trip to the Volta Region.

Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary, Wli Waterfalls and Mount Afadja, also and popularly known as Afadjato were the Tourist Sites that received the tourist club during their Tour Experience.

The Journey began with open prayers from Isaac Kofi Arthur, one of the founding members and President of Let's Tour Ghana in the bus after which Tour Guide, Prosper Kwamson, Tour Guide of Hausa Tours elaborated on the history of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Tetteh Quarshie etc and how cocoa came to Ghana in general to enlighten and educate the members of the club to have a general overview of the history of their homeland country Ghana to also engage them till they reached their destination.

The education was halted at a point where music and fun took over the atmosphere in the bus as almost everyone in the bus sang and danced to the various songs that were played. Regina Aku Dzameshie, Head of Finance and Administration at Hausa Tours ensured that all COVID-19 protocols were adhered to.

The first destination for the trip was the Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary where the Tour Guide, Robert took them through a brief history about the Mona Monkeys.

According to Robert (The Tour guide), when feeding the monkeys, one need not to peel the banana else they would reject it.

One has to hold it very firm with hand-stretched forth very straight. "When they see that, they would quickly jump on one's hand, take the banana, peel, eat it and go back", Robert added.

Those who followed these instructions carefully had the monkeys doing just as the Tour Guide narrated about these Mona Monkeys.

They did climb them and enjoyed their bananas in the comfort and safety around their arms and hands.

The club then further proceeded deep into the bush where more Mona Monkeys repeated this routine hovering around with people with unpeeled but firmly held bananas in hand stretched forth.

It was a nice scenery and experience. The club realising the monkeys were satisfied, proceeded to the Wli Waterfalls where they had to cross nine bridges of about 45minutes walkway upon reaching their destination to meet face to face with the Wli Waterfalls.

It was a beautiful sight and admiration of nature as most of the members of the club immersed themselves into the waterfalls, bathed and enjoyed every tiny drop of water that fell from the rocks above. That was it for the first day when they arrived. The Night saw natives of the land and the club members gathering around a set of arranged firewood lit with fire. Drumming, singing and dancing around the bonfire was all that could be witnessed that night. It was great fun to witness this deep into the night.

The next day which was a Sunday after they had done justice to their breakfast, they set off around 7:30 a.m to engage in a climbing battle (hike) with the great Afadja Mountain (Afadjato). The Tour Guide, Albert briefed them about the history of Afadjato. According to Albert, it's "Ava Tsa To". Ava means War, Tsa means Plant and "To" means Mountain.

Through series of events and evolution, over 300 years ago, one of our forefathers who lived behind the Mountain (Ngortsi, Togo) discovered this new mountain and realised it was good for the planting of garden eggs so he later informed his people and they all settled here.

There used to be wild animals but they all left. They now had to hide in between the plants whenever they were fighting to sack the animals. The plants were such that when it got stuck on the human skin, the body would itch for a long time.

So it was a war between them and the plants for survival, I.e "Ava Tsa To" (War with the plants) but the Netherlands who later found themselves here on the land during those days couldn't find the Ewe dialect Ava in their dialect so instead of the Ava, it was rephrased to Afa, to suit their way of pronounciation. That's why it's Afadjato. But in an actual sense, it's "Ava Dja To".

Indeed it was a Tug of War between the members of the Let's Tour Ghana Club and the pathway to the top of the hill where Mr. 885meters resided above sea level.

It was really a great experience when about 99% of the club members climbed up and descended the 885meters rocky mountainous Afadjato above sea level.

The Tour came to a successful climax as some of the club members visited and fed their eyes with the beautiful Tagbo falls in the afternoon around 2:30 pm. Tour Guide, Justice ensured that all went well.

It was all fun, joy and a great learning experience as they returned from the trip on the 30th May, 2021 (Sunday) night to Accra.

Let's Tour Ghana's mission is in line with the vision of the Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon. Ibrahim Awal Mohammed ensuring that Ghana becomes the leading hub of tourist-related activities to the rest of the world.

Let's Tour Ghana tours are also in line with the President's launch of Domestic Tourism on Tuesday 1st June 2021.

We see the President is fully focused on pushing Domestic Tourism and we are here to serve as a backbone to the President's initiative and agenda for the promotion of Domestic Tourism.