Community celebrates Emancipation Day

Bono-Manso (B/A) July 26, GNA - Mr. Francis Tapena, Brong-Ahafo Regional Manager of Ghana Tourist Board at the weekend urged Municipal and District Assemblies to allocate part of the common fund for the development of tourist centres to help improve the living conditions of the people.

Mr. Tapena was addressing chiefs and people of Bono-Manso in Nkoranza district of Brong-Ahafo at the celebration of Emancipation Day of this year's Pan African Festival (PANAFEST). He emphasized that tourism was all about development and support from the Assemblies would help accelerate the development of the communities.

The Regional Manager suggested to Nkoranza District Assembly to assist in the construction and rehabilitation of roads that lead to tourist centres in the area to attract more tourists. Mr. Tapena announced that the Board had launched a 15-year strategic development programme aimed at improving its plans and activities and to ensure that the best services were rendered to tourists.

Mr. Tapena said the programme, started in 1996, would last till 2010 when it was expected that more than one million tourists would visit Ghana, attracting an estimated revenue of about 1.5 billion US dollars.

He said existing facilities at the tourist centers were being expanded to make them measure up to the standards set under the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) guidelines.

Madam Felicia Obuobi, Executive Director of Centre for Savannah Art and Civilization, explained that Emancipation Day celebration was to remember ancestors who went into slavery in America about 300 years ago.

This year's programme was under the theme, "Our heritage, strength, the re-emergence of African civilization", with "Honouring our African heroes, preserving and uniting the African family in the fight against HIV/AIDS", as a sub-theme.

Madam Obuobi explained that Bono-Manso was selected for the programme due to its status as the capital of the ancient Bono Kingdom and was a slave market.

A Dr. Martin Luther King Junior village has been established in the town in appreciation of the hard work and efforts of the late African- American hero and a pivotal leader who spearheaded the fight for the freedom of blacks everywhere.

Mr. Adjei Yeboah, Presiding Member, said the Nkoranza District Assembly had planned to support communities to develop tourist centres to enhance the development of the district.

He advised the youth to guard against partisan politics and forge ahead in unity to help develop the tourist centres in the area. Nana Asante Nyarko, chairman of Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr. Youth Club in the area commended the management of the Centre for Savanna Art and Civilization for helping to develop Bono-Manso as a tourist centre. Nana Menka Ameyaw, chief of Bono Manso presided.