Accra: Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has embarked on a tour to key heritage and ecological sites in the Volta Region to highlight their tourism potentials and attract investors.
According to Ghana News Agency, the tour was aimed to draw attention to the region’s cultural and ecological assets and call on stakeholders to support tourism infrastructure development in line with Ghana’s emerging Blue Economy strategy. Madam Gomashie emphasized the need for the urgent improvement in road access to major tourist sites, describing poor infrastructure as a key constraint to tourism growth.
“What we lack most is infrastructure support. Road access to our sites must be improved. It makes promotion easier and encourages return visits,” she told journalists. She urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to invest in tourism from their Common Fund allocations.
“The President has approved the release of 80 percent of the Common Fund to local assemblies. I encourage you to dedicate part of it to developing and promoting tourism infrastructure,” she noted. The Minister also highlighted the role of youth engagement in promoting sustainable tourism and asked schools to integrate heritage site visits into their educational programs, saying, “We want students and young people to experience these sites firsthand, learn about our history, and develop a passion for traveling and exploration.”
The Minister’s delegation toured several notable sites, including Fort Prinzenstein in Keta, the Avu Lagoon in South Tongu District, and the Hedranawo Slavery Museum in Ketu South District. The Minister stressed the importance of community participation, saying, “Tourism is not the business of government alone. Communities must take ownership of their sites and ensure that visitors have memorable experiences.”
She linked the tourism agenda to Ghana’s Blue Economy vision, emphasizing that coastal attractions had great potential for unlocking investment opportunities. During a community interaction, Torgbui Sape Agbo V, Avaklasuga of the area, revealed that land had already been allocated to an investor for hotel development.
He assured that the community remained open to more partnerships and investment to enhance local development. Participants experienced a boat ride on the lagoon and observed sugarcane-based alcohol production, which showcased the region’s eco-tourism and cultural wealth. Students from Keta Senior High School and Some Senior High School that joined the tour described the trip as educational and inspiring.