The Member of Parliament for Ahanta West, Mavis Kuukua Bissue, has reaffirmed her commitment to transforming the Ahanta area into a leading tourism and heritage destination, saying the district possesses enormous historical, cultural and ecological potential that has remained largely untapped.

Speaking in an interview with 1960news.com during a tour of forts and other historical tourist sites as part of the maiden Ahanta Heritage Month celebration, the MP said her vision for Ahanta was shaped long before she entered Parliament.

According to her, campaigning across communities in the constituency exposed her to the area’s untold history and immense tourism opportunities, inspiring her determination to place Ahanta on the global tourism map.

“As I campaigned from community to community seeking votes, I also discovered Ahanta in a very different way. I saw things I hadn’t fully appreciated before, and I made a promise to myself that if the people elected me, I would do everything possible to take Ahanta to a different level,” she said.

Kuukua stressed that achieving this vision would require collaboration among government, traditional authorities, residents and members of the African diaspora, particularly descendants of enslaved Africans in the Caribbean.

She said the development of Ahanta should not be viewed through the lens of partisan politics but as a collective responsibility.

“When it comes to politics, I’ll do politics. But when it comes to Ahanta, I will do what is right for Ahanta. This is not about NDC or NPP. Ahanta belongs to all of us. We are one people, and we must all come together to promote our heritage,” she stated.

The MP revealed plans to expand the **Ahanta Heritage Month** celebration into an international event that would attract people of African descent from across the Caribbean and the wider diaspora.

She expressed hope that future editions of the celebration would feature an organised homecoming programme to reconnect descendants of enslaved Africans with their ancestral homeland.

“Many of our brothers and sisters were forced to leave this land. They need to come back home. Hopefully, next year we’ll organise a proper homecoming for our brothers and sisters in the Caribbean and make it even bigger. My prayer is that Ahanta Heritage Month becomes a global celebration,” she said.

While highlighting the area’s vast tourism opportunities, the MP admitted that poor road infrastructure remains one of the biggest obstacles to unlocking Ahanta’s full potential.

She explained that although she is not responsible for constructing roads, she continues to lobby government aggressively for improvements, particularly on roads leading to major tourist attractions.

“I’m not the Roads Minister, so I don’t build roads. What I can do is lobby, and I can assure you I constantly engage the Roads Minister. I keep telling him that Ahanta is a major tourism hub, but our roads are disappointing and making it difficult for us to attract visitors,” she noted.

She disclosed that several communities with deteriorating roads are home to remarkable attractions, including sea turtles, whales, parrots and numerous historical sites that remain largely unknown because of poor accessibility.

“There are so many places people need to see. We have turtles, whales, parrots and many other attractions. Without good roads, it becomes difficult to showcase these treasures to the world,” she added.

Mrs. Kuukua also lamented what she described as the neglect of Ahanta’s historical significance in Ghana’s national narrative.

She argued that the area’s contribution to Ghana’s history, particularly its resistance against colonial rule and its role in the transatlantic slave trade, has not received the recognition it deserves.

According to her, many schools do not adequately teach the history of Ahanta, including the stories of local heroes who resisted colonial oppression.

“Ahanta deserves better. We fought, we resisted and we played an important role in the history of Ghana, yet many people don’t know our story. Even the history surrounding the slave trade here has not been properly told,” she said.

The MP said she remains passionate about changing that narrative and will continue organising heritage tours and educational activities to expose more people to the district’s rich history and tourism assets.

She noted that the recent tour was not her first initiative of its kind, revealing that she had previously brought smaller groups to visit historical sites across the constituency.

“This is only the beginning. I will continue bringing people here until Ahanta becomes known around the world, not only for its slave history but also for its incredible tourism potential and investment opportunities,” she stressed.

Mrs. Kuukua expressed confidence that with improved infrastructure, strategic promotion and sustained collaboration, Ahanta could evolve into one of Ghana’s premier heritage and tourism destinations while strengthening ties with descendants of Africans in the diaspora seeking to reconnect with their roots.

As part of the maiden Ahanta Heritage Month celebration, participants toured several historic landmarks and tourist attractions, including Fort Gross Friedrichsburg at Princess Town, Fort Batenstein at Butre, Fort Saint Anthony (Fort Santo Antonio) in Axim, and Cape Three Points, the southernmost point of mainland Ghana, renowned for its breathtaking coastline, rich biodiversity and historical significance.