Paga Crocodile Motel to be reactivated

The Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) is to come out with a project profile to enable it source for funding to reactivate the Paga Crocodile Motel Project.

The first phase of the development of the project was completed in 1980 through the initiative of the Kassena Nankana District Assembly and was later put on divestiture but no investor has so far shown interest in it.

Ms Hawa Yakubu, Minister of Tourism, said this in an answer to a question in Parliament on Thursday posed by Mr Abuga Pele, NDC Chiana- Paga as to what plans the ministry has to develop the project.

She said the Crocodile Motel was a government initiative to boost tourism activities especially around the famous crocodile pond in the border town and the Upper East Region.

Ms Yakubu said under an agreement in 1985 between the Upper East Regional Administration and WRENCO of Bolgatanga the project started operations for some time until it went bankrupt.

She said facilities of the project are a two-storey block of guestrooms, nine semi-detached chalets, 18 detached chalets and a bar area, which are all currently in a deplorable state.

About 60 per cent of the original project was never executed and most of the structures only reached the lintel stage of construction, she added.

The Minister said the District Assembly, GTB, the local community and non-governmental organisations have, however, continued to maintain the project and have seen to the development of woodlots around the pond and its catchment area to sustain the crocodile pond.

Ms Yakubu said the future plan for the redevelopment of the project include a reconnaissance survey to be undertaken in June to present a viability report, which would include the socio-economic and cultural benefits to the community.

She called on interested investors to consider investing in developing the Crocodile pond since it has the potential of attracting tourists to the area and giving employment to the youth.