Cultural heritage at Tongo- Tengzuk to attract world attention

Tongo, (UER), Sept. 5, GNA - The cultural heritage at Tongo-Tengzuk in the Talensi-Nabdam District of the Upper East Region has been listed for marketing at the World Heritage site. A report containing details of the potentials of the area would be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for assessment and if accepted, would be inscribed into the World Heritage List for 2010, which would market the area to the world.

Mr. Anthony Yaw Owusu, Ashanti Regional Director of the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board (GMMB) who made this known at Tongo urged government to place premium on the preservation and conservation of the country's cultural heritage by supporting and equipping the board to undertake the task.

He made the recommendation at the close of a five day Cultural Heritage workshop at Tongo, which was organised by the board to facilitate the world heritage project in the town. The workshop was aimed at educating the community members on how to preserve, conserve and manage their cultural heritage. Mr. Owusu who is also the Co-ordinator of the project bemoaned the low attention government was paying to the GMMB and said it was seriously hampering the operations of the board.

Mr. Owusu said there were enormous benefits that could be derived from the sector when given the necessary attention. He said the national cultural heritage could serve as tourists' attraction to generate revenue and employment to the people especially the youth.

Mr Owusu appealed to the government to encourage private partnership to develop the sector.

He expressed dismay about the way and manner certain cultural heritage including the castles and the forts were being left to deteriorate and said there were instances when the interest by individuals and organisations to maintain the structures and sites for the higher study of culture had been denied. Mr. Owusu said another major problem confronting the GMMB was lack of the requisite management skills, explaining that since 2006 the board had been headed by acting directors.

He said since 2006 the board had no management board. Mr Owusu asked stakeholders including politicians, especially parliamentarians to advocate the empowerment of the GMMB to be able to play its role effectively by maintaining and preserving the national cultural heritage for posterity.

He said the Cultural Heritage Programme at Tongo-Tengzuk was being sponsored and promoted by UNESCO and being supported by the Talensi-Nabdam District Assembly and the GMMB. Participants at the Workshop were taken through topics like Introduction to the World Heritage, Tongo-Tengzuk Architecture, Tourism Marketing Heritage, Heritage Presentation and Visitor Management, Introduction to Heritage Conservation and Management Planning and Heritage sites.