The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has commissioned a modern receptive facility at the Beyin-Nzulezo Tourist Site in the Jomoro Municipal Assembly of the Western Region.
The facility, consisting of male and female washrooms and ticketing bay is a modern office complex which will serve as the arrival and entry point of tourists ready to visit Nzulezo, a town on stilt and back to Beyin.
It will be operated by the Ghana Tourism Development project as part of its product development measures to streamline operations in tourist sites in Ghana especially, Nzulezo and create jobs for the indigenes of Beyin and Nzulezo.
Speaking at a short ceremony before the commissioning of the facility, the former Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Barbara Oteng-Gyesi gave the assurance that tourism would bounce back after the COVID-19 pandemic.
She further announced that there would be the construction of receptive facilities at the Ankasa Forest also in the Jomoro Municipality and the development of Akuapem-Mampong into a Cocoa Museum, the Bonwire Kente Museum and a Gold Museum in the Western Region.
Mrs Barbara Oteng-Gyesi pointed out that the move is geared toward boosting tourism in the country to contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
She hinted that 2019 as the Year of Return, yielded dividends which benefited the Nzulezo community and added that with the “Beyond the Return” which is between 2020 and 2030, the Ministry and the GTA would focus on things that promote tourism.
“In the light of this, local communities with tourism potentials would be developed to create employment and generate income while the Government would develop all tourist sites in the country to fight the rural-urban drift”, she emphasized.
She also announced that Ghana hit over one million tourist arrivals in 2019 and was now targeting between five and ten million to provide more jobs for the youth.
Nana Kwesi Agyemang, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GTA thanked the Chief of the Traditional Area, Awulae Annor Adjaye for releasing land for the project and appealed to the community to maintain the facility.
According to him, the Nzulezo Tourist Site was one of the World Heritage sites and for that matter it would be developed into an international standard.
The Paramount Chief of Western Nzema Traditional Council, Awulae Annor Adjaye divulged that he was instrumental in the establishment of the Kakum National Park in the Central Region and would bring his expertise to bear on the success of the Nzulezo Tourist Site.
He emphasized the need to appreciate the efforts of the Nzulezo community to maintain the facility and appealed to the GTA to ensure that tourists visiting Nzulezo strictly adhered to the safety protocols of the COVID-19 pandemic to avoid the spread of the virus.
Story: Seth Ameyaw Danquah
