Senchi (E/R), Jan 26, GNA - Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the Eastern Regional Minister, has expressed concern over land litigation in parts of the region and said it had negative effect on private businesses and efforts at attracting investors to the region.

He said the region was positioning itself as the next tourism and investments destination in the country after Accra and prolonged land litigation and chieftaincy disputes that delayed projects and sometimes turn away investors would erode the potentials of the region. The Regional Minister said this when he cut the sod for the expansion of the Senchi Resort, a tourist site in the Asuogyaman District at the weekend.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said the attraction of investors to the region created employment opportunities for the people and therefore nothing should be done to frustrate the efforts of genuine investors. The Asuogyaman District Chief Executive), Mr Johnson Ahiakpor, said injunctions put on projects in the area were escalating the cost and appealed to traditional authorities in the area to close their ranks and allow development to go on.

He said the assembly was ready to partner and assist any private developer or investor in tourism and any other ventures that would create employment for the youth.

The Managing Director of the Senchi Resort, Mr Kwame Yeboah Afari, said had it not been for litigation over the land earmarked for the project, the expansion would have been completed long ago.

He said the issue of land administration and multiple land registration was a major deterrent to investors not only in the tourism industry but across all industries and needed urgent redress by government. Mr Afari also appealed to the government to synchronize the functions of the Ministry of Tourism, Ghana Tourist Board and the Ghana Tourist Development Company to provide effective leadership and uniformity in policy direction and called for improvement in infrastructure to tourist destinations.

The facility, which is scheduled to be completed in 14 months, is a 100-room 3-star country lodge with ancillary facilities like conference halls, swimming pools and spa.