Let’s leverage tourism to promote sustainable development – GTA

The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has urged the country to leverage the potentials of tourism to promote sustainable development.Mr Wisdom Ahadzi, the Upper East Regional Director of the Authority, who made the call, observed that, the country was endowed with great tourism potential ranging from attractions to culture and the hospitality industry.He stated that when the sector was given the needed attention and collaboration, its potential could be harnessed to accelerate the country's development agenda.'If things are well done here, we can use tourism to improve the lives of people and their socioeconomic environment,' he said.Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Bolgatanga ahead of the commemoration of this year's Emancipation Day, the Regional Director stated, for instance, that although slavery was cruel to the Africans, their fabrics left behind could be developed to attract economic growth.'Slavery is a blessing in disguise because, although it was an unfortunate incident, ou r people are up there now, they are rich in knowledge and skills and resourceful and if there is platform for people to identify their roots and come back, they will be bringing resources which will help develop us,' he added.Unlike previous events which used to be celebrated by only the people of Nania and supported by the GTA, this year's Emancipation Day is taking a regional shape.The commemoration intends to bring all stakeholders, including chiefs and cultural troops across the region together at the Pikworo Slave Camp at Nania near Paga in the Kassena-Nankana West District.The Emancipation Day is an annual event being celebrated in Ghana since 1998 to mark the abolishing of slavery in the British colonies in 1834 and going forward the celebration will always start from the Pikworo Slave Camp.The Pikworo Slave Camp, a place where slavery started was founded in 1704 as a transit centre where Africans captured as slaves were kept in shackles, auctioned and later resold in the Salaga Slave Market, n ow in the Savannah Region.They were then moved onto the Coast for shipment to the French, English and Dutch slave traders.This year's celebration is being held on the theme: 'Unity and resilience; building stronger communities for a brighter future'.Mr Ahadzi said the celebration of the Emancipation Day offered opportunity for the country and stakeholders in the Upper East Region, in particular, to grow the tourism sector and boost business opportunities.He said the Authority was working in collaboration with the Regional Coordinating Council, Municipal and District Assemblies, House of Chiefs, the Centre for National Culture, among other stakeholders to mark the Emancipation Day and called for collaboration from industry players.'We all have an opportunity as a region to nurture this celebration to become a bigger platform where other tourism businesses would take advantage for the benefit of the region,' he added.Source: Ghana News Agency