Hohoe (V/R), July 9, GNA - Mr Peter John Amewu, District Chief Executive of the Hohoe District Assembly has suggested that tourism should be included in the President's Special Initiative package to enhance its benefits to the country.

He held that if given the needed special attention, the sector could help reduce poverty among rural communities.

Mr Amewu made the suggestion when members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade and Tourism visited the district to have first hand knowledge about attractions in the area.

The visit was part of a three-day working tour organized by the Ghana Tourists Board for members of the committee.

Mr Amewu announced that Hohoe was the only district affiliated to the World Tourism Organization (WTO) and noted that individuals at the grassroots level could benefit if the country paid full attention to tourism. "If the President makes tourism one of his Special Initiatives, we will all be laughing," he held, adding that most tourist's attractions in the country remained untapped.

Relating Ghana to Malaysia, Mr Amewu said Malaysia made 136 billion dollars from tourism last year alone. He observed that whatever Malaysia had in terms of tourist attraction, Ghana had about three times more but they were not developed.

The MPs visited that Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary and the Wli waterfalls where they walked about four miles from the town to the site. Many of the members expressed concern about the lack of good access roads to the sites.

Mrs Alice Boon, Member of Parliament for Lambussie and Deputy Ranking member of the group, commended the DCE and the Ghana Tourists Board for their commitment toward the development of tourism in the area.