Government declares Ada tourism enclave

Government has through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, declared Ada, an area within the Dangme East District of the Greater Accra Region, a tourism enclave.

The declaration forms part of the Ministry and Ghana Tourism Authority’s (GTA) relentless efforts to boost Ghana’s tourism potential.

It is part of efforts to make tourism the “big game changer” for the economic fortunes of Ghana and Ada.

In partnership with traditional leaders in the area, government is expected to develop Ada into a preferred tourism destination in Ghana and the West African sub-region.

The announcement was made on Monday, December 3, 2018, in Ada, after series of meetings between the chiefs of Ada and GTA on a blue print of inventory of all tourism sites, potential sites, policy imperatives for the Assembly and also the immense potential of tourism in Ada East.

About 25 residents from the area have been chosen to travel to Nigeria for specialized training in tourism issues.

The chiefs in the area expressed the hope that the outcome of the declaration will lead to an improvement in the livelihood of residents in the area.

Major towns in the district are Ada Foah, Big Ada and Ada Kasseh. Ada Foah is the district capital.

The area has a huge tourism potential such as fishermen villages, marine turtles, sailing area around 36 island communities, the rich gastronomy, unique culture of the Okorli, the Ada Estuary, the Asafotufiam festival of the chiefs and people of the Ada traditional area.

The Estuary, according to (GTA), offers the best conditions for water sports like sailing, canoeing, fishing, water skiing, wake boarding and jet skiing.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Tourism Authority, Akwasi Agyeman described Ada as a “tourism joy.”

10 pillars

According to him, there are 10 pillars under the blue print for developing Ada as a tourism enclave which include making the place an entertainment buffer zone, business centre, an area of massive investment potential, clean environment; create a corporate retreat area, lecture hub, tourism preservation and employment zone.

A seven member committee co-chaired by the CEO of GTA and the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Ada East, was inaugurated to oversee the work into developing the area as an enclave.

Tourism Minister, Catherine Abelema Afeku, in a statement read on her behalf observed the immense developmental potentials of tourism.

Most private sector players will take advantage of the declaration to develop Ada, she said, adding that the area is being developed to enhance domestic tourism.

DCE for Ada East, Sarah Pobee, in a welcome remark, said Ada is one of the tourism attractions in Ghana with about eight tourism sites.

However, she lamented that Ada has not achieved anything much from its tourism potentials over the years.

Reunification

In a related development, Ms Afeku and the Diasporan Africans Forum, have jointly held a welcome reception for US Academy Award star, Louise Cameron Gosset Jnr., at the W.E.B. Due Bois Center for Pan African Culture in Accra as part of efforts to get more Africans in the diaspora to ‘return home.’

Madam Afeku described Mr. Gosset Jnr.’s arrival to Ghana as the start of the reunification process for 2019, with the African-American Hollywood actor himself pledging to regularly visit Ghana.