A GNA Feature by Ms Hilda Abban

Cape Coast, April 6, GNA - There is no doubt, that if the nation's tourism potentials are properly harnessed and maintained, the tourism industry, could far exceed its projected target of attracting one million tourists with a corresponding earning of 1.5 billion dollars annually, projected under its 'Strategic Action Plan'.

The nation's numerous tourist attractions, include the 22 forts and castles dotted along the coast of the Central Region, including the much visited Elmina and Cape Coast Castles and Fort Saint Jago also at Elmina, that depict European adventures in the Colonial Era. These three monuments have been declared 'World Heritage Monuments' by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), with the Cape Coast Castle, housing the 'Museum of West African History'. Other tourist attractions in the country, are the 'slave river and market' at Assin Manso, also in the Central Region; Nkroful, the birth place of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's First President, the Crocodile Pond at Paga and the Monkey Sanctuary at Fiema and Boabeng in the Brong-Ahafo Region.

It is laudable, that the Government has declared its commitment to implementing the Strategic Action Plan for the industry, and the Deputy Chief of Staff, Mrs Oboshie Sai Coffie had announced that the Government had in line with this determination, provided HIPC funds for the construction of 24 receptive facilities at tourist sites like the 'Reverential Site' at Assin Manso, Observatory Point at Atibie, the Historical and Eco-tourism Zone at Assin-Praso and at Nkroful.

It is, however, pertinent, to point out that implementers of the Action Plan, should not lose sight of the deplorable conditions at the beaches near which, many of the forts and castles are located, particularly those in the Central Region. Apart from the fact that the hitherto beautiful stretch of beaches are gradually being destroyed by unscrupulous sand winners, it has also become imperative that one treads carefully, when taking a walk along the beach these days, not in a bid to avoid land mines, so to speak, but to avoid stepping in to human faeces, because some of our compatriots, have shamelessly, under the excuses of being unable to afford fees charged at the public toilets, and the lack of toilets in their homes, been unrestrained in boldly using the beaches as their places of convenience, sometimes in the full glare of tourists!

A survey conducted by the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) District Health Directorate, has painted a rather dismal and disturbing picture, indicating that about 90 per cent of children aged between five years and 15 years, and some adults, constantly used the beaches as their places of convenience.

Sometimes the stench near the Elmina and Cape Coast Castles in particular; is enough to send them reeling. The rocks behind the Cape Coast Castle, have become a favourite spot for the recalcitrant, who 'proudly' smile and show all 32 teeth, when foreign tourists come snapping with their cameras as they squat on there 'to do their own thing', either ignorant, or mindless of the effect their actions was having on the country's image.

During a recent interview with the Ghana News Agency in Cape Coast, the Central Regional Director of the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board (GMMB) expressed grave concern about the situation and tasked the Cape Coast Municipal and the KEEA District Assemblies, to enforce their by-laws on sanitation to stem the practice.

Another area of concern to the Official was the way and manner children and sometimes some adults, tugged after tourists for money and other favours.

Collaboration

The time has come for the Ministry of Tourism and Modernization of the Capital City to liaise effectively with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and Traditional Councils, in areas where various tourist sites are located, to evolve measures, such as enforcing existing by-laws on sanitation, or instituting such laws where there are none.

This would help to bring about the needed attitudinal change within host communities, to ensure that they amply appreciate the importance of the historical monuments and other attractions located in their vicinities. They should be made aware that if they constructively supported the maintenance of these structures they would derive immense benefits and the Government would get the much needed revenue to improve their socio-economic conditions.

This has become imperative, because it is not just enough, to spend billions of cedis and maybe sometimes foreign exchange, in providing facilities for the reception of tourists, without the requisite measures being put in place to ensure that such facilities would be located in clean and healthy surroundings to accelerate the growth of the industry.