TWIN-CITY RECEIVES MANY VISITORS IN 2 WEEKS (PAGE 29)

Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu

THE Twin-City of Sekondi/Takoradi in the Western Region has in less than two weeks received more than 800 tourists disembarking from a luxury cruise ship through the efforts of a private tour operator, Sun-Seekers.
Some of the tourists toured the metropolis while the rest were taken to the Central Region to visit the Elimina Castle and Kakum National Park
There were many of such visits in the past year and this is likely to increase this year. There is, therefore, the need to whet the appetite of tourists and increase hotel accommodation for them.
Last year, many other tourists visited the city through the same channel, but they did not stay there to experience night life in the twin-city because accommodation available was inadequate.
That aside, various potential tourist sites in the area had not been developed enough to attract them. The region is blessed with unlimited resources that could be harnessed, especially with the recent discovery of oil in the area.
There are forts at Sekondi and Shama; Monkey Hill in the heart of the capital and the foot bridge over the Whin River. Mining, rubber and cocoa cultivation, and beautiful villages are some of the potentials that are yet to be developed for tourism purposes. The Ghana Tourist Board and the Museums and Monuments Board are trying to attract tourists.
The forts and other historical monuments are not under the control of the Tourist Board but when there is a problem or repair work to be done on the buildings, the board is asked to see to it.
A visit to the forts at Shama and Sekondi revealed that the structures are in a very bad shape and no tourist had visited them for a very long time. At Sekondi, the fort is currently occupied by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) which operates the place as a lighthouse.
At Shama the story is no different. However, Sekondi/Takoradi, Essikado, Essipon and the newly built stadium are places to visit.