People & Places: How this Ghanaian turned a dumpsite into a beautiful tourism hotspot at Abetifi

Today, the Abetifi Stone Age Park has come to be known as one of Ghana’s unique tourist destinations in the Eastern Region of Ghana, but that wasn’t always the case.

This place, used to serve as a community dumpsite or landfill where household waste from different homes within the community was deposited.

However, in 2010, after researchers at the University of Ghana visited the area to do archival work and date findings, they discovered that artifacts retrieved date back to some 12,500 years back when humans used to inhabit the place.

They discussed these findings with an indigene of the area, Ben Addo, whose mother owned part of the land and after consultation with the chiefs of the area, acquired the landfill area plus added acres to redevelop it into a tourist site.

The 52-acre development park which has been commissioned by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and given to the Abetifi community was established by Mr. Addo who used his own financial resources.

The park has unique features including a man-made waterfall created from recycled waste water from the facility’s restaurant. It also has hiking areas, a cave and beautiful natural resources.

Ben Addo told the People & Places about the fascinating history behind the place when the team visited.



Watch the full interview here: