Make tourism development in Northern Region a priority - Overlord of Nanung urges govt

The Acting President of Nanumba Traditional Council (NTC) Nyelinboligu Naa Yakubu Andani Dasana Abdullai, has called on government to consider developing tourism in Northern Region.

He said the sector, which has many channels through the value chain, will serve as the springboard to promote social and economic activities in the Region.

Consequently, the Overlord of Nanung has appealed to government through the Northern Regional Minister, Shani Alhassan Zakaria, to examine the economic fortunes of the tourism industry, and the impact it will make in the Region and apply the right measures in harnessing the potential for development of the Region and for the benefit of the country.

According to the traditional ruler, for many years, adequate attention has not been paid to ecotourism in the ancient Region which has the potential of growing inbound, outbound, wildlife and adventure tourism in the country.

The Regent of Bimbilla, made the call at his palace during a courtesy call on him by the Northern Regional Minister Shani Alhassan Zakaria recently.

The elite ruler, identified tourism, as one of the keys in Northern Region that should be considered in unlocking the potential of the area to generate decent opportunities for sustainable job creation, development and ultimately wealth creation.

He emphasized that the relative peace being enjoyed in Northern Region should give authorities in government an impetus to engineer good policy initiatives capable of building a robust tourism industry in the Region.

For many years, he said the Region has been known for its historic sites, heritage, wildlife and adventure, and that should motivate both local and central governments to properly position the Region as one of the tourism hubs in the country.

The Northern Region has been classified by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) as one of the destinations for cultural tourism based on physical activities at Jakarayili and kukuo, two suburbs of Tamale, the Northern Regional capital.

GTA considers the visit to these two communities as rewarding because they are centres for traditional weaving and pottery combined with other community lifestyle encounters.

Traditional architecture of the North, also speaks voluminous in beauty and attraction, according to the GTA.

The Northern Region is noted for leatherware and the place to see these complete chains of activities, involved from tanning raw cowhide, to finished sandals, bags, belts, or boots, is Zongoni along the Builpela road within Tamale Metropolitan Area.

The artisanal blacksmiths who make simple tools, musical instruments and bangles, can also be found at Sabongida in the Central Business District (CBD) of Tamale.

The pulipuon tree at the Tamale teaching hospital lends credence to the power of shrines as recounted by adherents, and that the GTA believes could spark interest in tourism in the city.

However, to get a more practical benefit of shrines which are usually only used for divination, you have to travel to Tali, near Tolon, some 24 kilometres away where a sacred grove has been used to create centuries of old virgin vegetation around a shrine known popularly as Jaagbo shrine, which serves as a sanctuary for birds and wildlife.

Again, there is a mistry tree near the Jaagbo Shrine, that is reputed to have been climbed by a warrior on a horseback. The hoofprint of a horse is still visible on the tree for tourism attractions.

Naa Nyagsi, who conquered present-day Dagbon, Naa Luro, who consolidated the kingdom, have all got great stories up North to make oral tradition perfectly one of the considerable areas tourism sector development experts could capture in their planning activities.

There is an ox-bow lake located in an idyllic setting near the white volta at a place called zongchagni in the Region, and that could be developed to paint the true picture of the ancient setting of Dagbon

Again, Chirifoyili dam is home to crocodiles where the reptiles acclimatize with the people, and that constantly captures the imagination of viewers.

Saakpauli slave market is another place of interest for tourists in Northern Region following the historical role played by the community during the slave trade.