Madam Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, Minister of Tourism, Art and Culture has cut the sod for the construction of an ultramodern Arts Training Center in Damang in the Prestea-Huni Valley Municipality of the Western Region.
The Damang Arts Training Center is being implemented under the Ghana Tourism Development Projects of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture with funding of $100,000.00 from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank.
The project is in fulfilment of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP’s) Government mandate to promote domestic tourism through harnessing local entrepreneurial abilities in the Arts industry, especially in our smaller towns for economic development.
The Arts Training Centre is expected to harness local talents, entrepreneurship and position Damang as a preferred tourist destination in the Prestea-Huni Valley Municipality by presenting high quality exhibitions showing the potential of the cultural resources in the Municipality.
Addressing a durbar at Wassa Damang near Bogoso as part of activities marking this year’s national celebration of the UNWTO World Tourism Day, Madam Oteng-Gyasi contended that unemployment constitutes a major social economic problem in Ghana and many other African countries even though Ghana’s growth performance has been quite impressive.
She expressed the hope that the Arts Training Centre will create opportunities for the teeming youths who will receive training to start their own businesses.
She reiterated President Akufo-Addo’s promise made to Ghanaians thus, “We shall transform Ghana economy and reduce unemployment by paying attention to technical and vocational training, where the skills needed for the growth of the modern economy can be developed” and called on Ghanaians to give four more years for President Akufo-Addo to continue his quest to get rid of unemployment.
Madam Oteng-Gyasi was happy to note that the Damang Arts Training Centre when completed will target particularly the youth and women in the Prestea-Huni Valley Municipality to engage in textiles designing, bead-making, batik fabric, jewellery and local artefacts.
Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah indicated that the young people in the region and Ghana at large must be stimulated to come to appreciate that the new gold mine is the business of tourism and not Galamsey.
He said, the region is cut to be a safe haven for tourism in that it has more fortes than any other region in the country, with forest reserves (Ankasa Forest) that are bigger than the Kakum National Park and waterfalls among others.
Against this background, the Regional Minister said his outfit was poised through its Investment Centre to facilitate new ideas to attract tourists from all over the world and generate new incomes for development.
He pointed out that the region cannot allow its tourism potentials to go waste following the coronavirus pandemic and for that matter it has taken a decision to develop all its tourism sites virtually to showcase to the world so that they can experience them virtually before visiting them.
Nana Amoakwa III, Divisional Chief of Damang commended President Akufo-Addo and the NPP Government for the various infrastructural developments in the area and pledged his support to the project so that it sees the light of day and make sure it achieves its intended purposes.
He maintained that though the Prestea-Huni Valley Constituency is so huge, the Minister for Tourism, Madam Oteng-Gyasi who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency has shared the developmental projects equitably.
Nana Amoakwa III further expressed the optimism that the constituency shall be divided into two to make it more easier for its administration in the next NPP Government.
Story: Seth Ameyaw Danquah
