The Upper East Region is failing to fully exploit some of its historical and cultural sites because of inadequate investment and the absence of deliberate mechanisms to develop them into viable tourism destinations.
Managing Director of Kacstone Records and Chairman of the Paga Youth Movement, Wenawome Duriyem Aborah, says several sites with historical and cultural significance could be generating income and employment for communities if they were properly preserved and developed.
He cited the Karimenga hill, which he said is associated with a safe house reportedly used by Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, but has been left to deteriorate.
According to him, the site could be rebuilt and developed with supporting facilities that would allow visitors to learn about its history while creating economic opportunities for people living in the area.
Mr Aborah believes the problem extends beyond the condition of individual sites, arguing that many communities in the region have stories, traditions and landmarks that remain largely untold and underdeveloped.
He contrasted the situation with what he observed in Lesotho, where heritage sites are presented as structured tourism attractions, supported by entertainment, conference facilities and systems that generate revenue.
He said Ghana must move away from treating important cultural sites as private family properties and instead establish appropriate mechanisms for their preservation, development and management.
“Tourism should be an employable entity,” he argued, stressing that developing such attractions could provide opportunities for young people while also preserving the region’s history.
Mr Aborah also mentioned other potential attractions across the region, including the historic mosque at Pusiga, which he believes has not received the level of attention required to turn its historical significance into a tourism opportunity.
He therefore urged government, traditional authorities and private investors to work together to identify, preserve and package the region’s cultural and historical assets for both domestic and international visitors.
Source: Bolgafmonline.com| 102.7 MHz| Bolgatanga
