What are some of the Opportunties worth exploring and exploiting in Ghana?

 Have we considered organisation a national Marathon run in the coolest month of the year for charity where by the runners are sponsored by the mile for example 2,000 cedis per mile. This gives a simple equation that if one runs for 20 miles and 20 people sponsor this athletic the total sum, which would be collected after the event, would be 800,000 cedis. If there are about a 1000 people running the total amount that would be collected from the various athletics could be 320 million cedis.

 Imagine there are a 1000 people in each region running the Marathon. It is worth roughly equating the total money that would be collected from the individual runners. Money collected could be used towards the building of community centres, renovating old hospitals and other community buildings.

 Ghana has a whole variety of fruits but we are limited when it comes to the presentation of the fruits. Perhaps home science teachers may need to read more widely about the different dimension of any fruits. For example fruit pie, puddings, short pastries with fruits. It may be worth trying pineapple pastries and others. Currently the pastries we offer tourist are too limited.

 Presentation of the everyday foods In Ghana we love pile it high sell cheap and close the day accounts. However the Japanese, Chinese are expert in food presentation. The British and others countries are emulating these way of food presentation. We lack the creativity and innovation when it comes to food. Rice is still being served with a tomato sauce on top. While some people have move away from that sort of serving and are presenting food in an artistic form. Rice is first put in a small bowl and turn unto plate takes the shape of the mould. The sauce or stew is also put in a tiny or mini bowl with vegetables or salad serve on the side of the present.

 Such foods are expensive and taste good and one need to buy more of it to be satisfies. Customers in top restaurant are more likely to pay more than the normal price in top hotels.

 La Beach Hotel adopts a buffet this style of serving foods. This give the customer the opportunity to dish food themselves free the waiters and others involved.

 . In the markets one can observe that our market women lack the art of presenting their products to the public. The way it has been presented in the past is the same old way our market women are used to. There is no research as to the best way to present food products to maximum space offered in the stalls. Tesco have researched in way of marketing their products and they also monitor our shopping style and lead the customer on to buy more products. Foods are presented in layers like terraces sloping down.

 Ghana currently lacks shopping centres. There is a need for co-operative shops and Super markets throughout the big cities, towns and villages. When the tourists and others come to Ghana they want to visit these shops. Ghana have enjoyed this sort of shopping in the past and loved it. Maintenance of existing business sometimes does not appear to be a priority in our forward planning. Ghana had U.T.C which my late grandfather was the first African Manager, there were also major shopping malls like Kingsway, G.N.T.C and others.

 Agriculture opportunities. Ghana needs to start investing in planting olive trees, date palms, sunflower, ryes, and at the same time invest in the processing aspect. Thus marketing the products to other African countries. Create the opportunity for foreign student to come in and learn from our basic methods and share the experience by linking with boarding schools to use their facilities. Have package deal and charge students about ?4000 each 8 weeks during the long vacation with a detailed programme. This could include classroom lecture of about 2 weeks. on and off the farms projects, camping style cooking i.e. grilling on a barbecue very basic, trip to forest reserves, Aburi gardens, Kakum Park, Mole Parks etc for a week, and engagement with the community in which they live week one. Surf the Internet to see other organisation already in this field.

 Ghana would need to be like the Chinese where by one buy a product and within some month start off producing the products to the mass market. Ghana should be manufacturer rather consumers of other people products. Ghanaian may need to be proud showing off made in Ghana goods.

 The Ghana Tourist Board may be to consider having satellite offices in every city, town and villages and use the venue for income generating source selling post cards, stamps, different birth day cards,

 Every city, town and village is unique as to what natural gift they have. Photos of these natural beauty e.g. mountain, sea lagoon etc need to be marketed to the world and spreading and promoting a brand of a product. It might be a painting, pottery, kente weaving, or photo of their chief and his kinsmen etc. Chiefs could use their open halls as bed and breakfast during the long vacations and other seasons for 4 weeks perhaps at a time and earn some money for the maintenance of the Palaces and courtyards. The Chiefs residence and courtyards would be self-financing.

 Community needs to club together and strategically plan effectively for 20-30 years however they also need to include the Politicians at the planning stage even though the Government might not consider any demands. See the developed countries as a target and try and expand services, which they would need. It may be worth speak to them and see how one could help their problematic areas into a more positive one. Summer schools or camps for youths hard to mould or groomed in the developed world and integrate them into our basic way of live and make money in the process at ?5000 each for 4 weeks stay. Military personal could engage in these areas and help teachers and others run such programmes more effectively. Link with boarding schools and local facilities. Advertise or have a website to recruit potential organisations. Have evaluation forms for the students to complete and monitor service offered on a weekly bases and encourage student write a reflective dairy to discuss with their lead persons, review the services and evaluate after the whole 5 weeks. Discuss the evaluation with the students and provide suggestion box for an honest feedback too. Offer a token souvenir to all students i.e. a small present kente stole.

 Every community must be assertive enough to demand facilities such as community centres which could serve as a library, town halls, computer caf?? and a place for our youth to be involved in scouting activities. When any major companies wants to set up an industry the community need to ask for help to support them living around those areas. This is best practice in the developed world however in Africa we need those help most.

 The community first need to be cohesive and club together Christian and Moslems etc to demand these facilities not from the Government but from any major businesses in their community. If when goes to Avieyme one may find that the primary schools are all mud building which no toilet facilities, recreational grounds for the children to play to develop their sporting skills. One admires the teachers who have given their own self-interest for the sake of these children. The literate among every community must know how to write a proposal and channel their concerns without any insults to anyone but professionally cool and relax to hit the point with a thoughtfully calm voice to get whatever they want from these major businesses within their communities.

 Major businesses could property developers, major petrol distributors, small businesses as well as any church in the community. The community demands would be what are your contributions for this community. Community leaders may need to have their to do list so that the companies could chose which one they may want to help.

 The wish list a community needs to have is as follows: - a recreational grounds for the children which should be landscaped with flowers and playing materials fit for children. Also public toilet facilities with watch basins, roofing of schools, building of libraries, annual contribution towards the environmental improvement of the community e.g. landscaping of the community parks, etc.

 Every town must have postcard of their beauty spots, and every day activity. Being humans we like to still send birthday cards to their loved ones where ever they are in the world to our loved ones. . Sadly, Ghanaians are proud to sell birthday cards from the U.K and else where. There is to incorporate creativity, and innovation in primary schools by the age of 12 years. Our youth do not have the desire ability to be creative and I doubt if our TV programmes touch on this subject.

 There is a need to concentrate on making our own cards and engaging the youth to take up perhaps snapping this opportunity and anything of interest to sell and generate money in the process. The community could even own a few cameras to loan to the youth within their community. Ghanaian community in Diaspora could even send a simple camera to their community to set off this opportunity.

 Must have in every city, town and villages is the library facility. If a town does not have this facility how could they educate their future generations. Community leaders need to demand this basic service and maintain this themselves through their MP and be assertive but nice.

 Every region has some track history to share with the world. It may be beneficial to engage the elderly in this area to contribute and every information need to be written down and then compile into a book. The community need to pay some form of incentives, which a Minister of Education must endorse, this as the way forward to enhance self worth and esteem of the elderly. These books would be useful for someone wanting to do a piece of research in a given area or community. The community could sell the books on the Internet, libraries, and schools throughout the world. If a book make an interesting read it could be recommended as an educational tool. Ghana must try and compete like everyone one else and even join the U.K and other developed book award ceremonies. Ghana must learn the trick of the publishing trade to get notice.

 Also the community must make profit in organising historical tours for the tourist markets with people coming in to live the community to experience what it was like in the times of certain VIP?s. Every Region in Ghana has one of such people. They need to be people who have made and contributed to history or world history. Please go to the libraries and dig deep into the archives and bring one. Coming of Christianity into a community and what went on, the history of our fetish priest benefits and disadvantages, the various wars, contribution to inventions, chemistry, physics, medicine and herbal medicine

 It is a pity that with the various Kweku Ananse stories none of us as Ghanaians have made a break through like JK Rowlings books (Harry Potter) perhaps someone is still putting a finishing touches to a series of Kweku Ananse books. Ghana lacks writing circle or clubs or a min organisations that would encourage the youth to put pen to paper and be poetry let alone be poetic?

 The Minister of Tourism needs to explore many countries as he is already engaged in and liase with his links and networks a valuable exchange of ideas to increase Ghana?s potential.

 Care of the elderly is much the thought in Cuba and one hope the Minister of Minster is also linking up with his networks in Cuba a great wealth of knowledge would have been learnt.

 Every Town must have mini Aburi gardens for tourists to go and enjoy. We need more caf?? proper restaurants, drinking bars, bakeries selling all kinds of patisseries, bread with variety e.g. sun dried tomato bread, basil bread, mango bread etc.

 Also public serviced toilets at every transport stations particularly the Main State Transport Stations is crucial if Ghana is looking for a market in Tourism.

 Currently the public toilets facilities at Accra, Kaneshi State Transport Stations etc would not sell Ghana to any tourist. Or would it? But then whose responsibility is it to see to these facilities exists Ghana?s stations. Could it be the Minister for Tourism who is busy popping to other countries for inspirations perhaps?

 Ghana has the hot sun to even market sun dried tomatoes, mangoes, etc which could be organically grown to earn individuals or the Government another extra foreign currencies. Such products could be sold in developed countries that only have sunlight only during the summer months, which is only three months.

 Solar and wind powers are we exploiting this? These days some innovative people are even using used oils and adding acetone to them the used oils into diesel.

 The Local councils must ensure that every building have a gutter at the end of it?s roof to channel all rainwater into a well or the proper sewage system to collect these overflow rain water into a main reservoir. People could buy huge barrel to store these water and keep them when need arises.

 The fisheries department needs to put a firm grip on the fishing methods used by other countries and adhered to the quota recommended. Fish farming needs to be encouraged and a college for fish farming may need to be opened for the youth to attend and gain this insight. M
 Ghana has the land, seas, waters, mountains sun, peace and yet various Government have always heavily relied on foreign loans. Ghana has become like Oliver Twist of century. Self-reliance, Self-belief, Resilience and Empowerment whilst being politically astute citizens must be our ethos. Hand me down aids and loans may need to be reconsidered in future.

 Agricultural colleges and schools must be running programmes on TV to encourage people to compost organic waste and demonstrate what could be got out of by composting. People need the proof before they could be engaged in any projects.

 Ghanaians have been recycling for decades and I admire this but then how far have we gone with recycling. Is the media preaching the importance of recycling to the mass population?

 Interior decorations and home improvements are also an idea worth exploiting to highlight what people could do to up lift the homes and surrounding.

 Garden programmes would also enhance the above for example before and after gardens.

 Clause may need to be included in the contract deals for road contractors to adhere to that every gutter in Ghana must be covered and proper under ground drainage system encouraged.

 As the Chinese do Ghanaians must learn to bring innovations and best practice where ever they are to reshape Ghana. Government must make it flexible for people in Diaspora to link up with them by emails, phone link etc. this would ensure a free information exchange system to benefit every one.

 Government may need to consider a practical school of technology as not many aspire to go to Universities however they have the interest and ability to invent wheelchairs, trolleys, umbrellas, bicycles, toilet basins. This group may need to be awarded with some form of accreditation of their contributions.

 Tourism is big business but hen how many tourists? guides have been trained so far?

 How much tourist information centres has recently been opened with 2 years of the planning.

 Are their indicators in Ghana that there are significant transformation going on towards the tourism boom apart from the minister popping to different countries and inviting people in?

 Thanking the IGP and the MTTU and others are doing their best, However what are the expectations of the Ghanaians public? Does these minor road safety measures meet expectations?

 Has the Minister of Tourism explored the effectiveness of the sea, lagoons, rivers, lakes, and nature reserves to its full capacity in terms of transportation and communications?

 Are the streets of Ghana clean with a rota of a daily cleaning measures or instead of adhoc cleaning when it suits the town councils i.e. once a month on Saturday the cleaning up day?

 Tree planting is essential and the whole country need to encourage friendly tourists and other and business to donate a tree seedling, a link with Ghana with a plague with their name attached to those trees?

 Working in partnership is essential to development, as people having enjoyed sharing responsibility.

 Ghana must be in control at all times and only work in partnership with foreign companies and organisation when they feel comfortable to do so.

 Ghana have the land for agricultural developments however community may need to learn how to lease for a given period rather than selling them off at a token price.

 As Ghanaians one feel we all need to be firm in doing business but at the same time learn to use the right words so that we do not offend the right investors?

 Sadly, reading comments from the articles one try to share with fellow Ghanaians it becomes transparent that, some don?t even know how to argue things objectively. This is our weak point worth considering in our educational system. There are so many way of saying things without offending anyone. One is always learning, as this is not our culture. Some cultures have this in built in them others don?t.

 Ghanaians all need to learn the principle of marketing techniques. This area would sell Ghana well and I would recommend that the Minister of Tourism have this on a rolling programme on TV so that everyone could learn the trick of the tourism market if Ghana wants to succeed in this area.

 The Minister for tourism may need to visit every city, town and villages to ensure that all these communities have a public toilet facility and other tourist attractions before even start the marketing Ghana.

 Ghanaians would like their friends and work mates to visit Ghana and give it a thumb up. The Wow factor sound Jake

 Ghanaians children do not appreciate wild life and are happy to see a dead wild life rather than enjoy the benefits it brings to the community. . Our educational system may need to explore this area. Our in Britain, there is a bird world which have all kinds of birds including various variety Chickens, owls of different variety, Bird of prey display, penguins? show, even the customers who visit this bird world are offered the opportunity to buy bird feed and feed the certain birds. This would venture would bring the realisation to children that it is good to see live birds around our countryside rather than killing them for lunch. Thus encouraging the appreciation of nature and wild life.

 Students? learning from each other?s shoes. Student exchange programmes both locally or regional would not only offer our youths an added impetus but also a wider perspective of life. For example student from a given Senior Secondary School in the Northern go to the another school in to South for a week and live with the student he exchanges with and their families. Such benefits can not be underestimated. Both students would learn a different way of what they are used to. The Minster for Education and Sports may need to pilot t this first before going wild with the idea.

 Self-financing projects and programmes that generate income may need to reflect on the teachers pay pockets thus enticing others that may wish to follow up such programme. If the programmes are designed with students or foreign students and links with other countries then the link schools would even market the idea to parents. Though we are classified, as a third world country the discipline maintained in schools should not be underestimated though we lack the child protection policy and procedures. However this could be built into the programme so that we maintain the same child protections measures like any other well-governed country. Head teachers of head masters and mistresses of such schools may need to be rewarded for maintaining their schools through these schemes.

 These are all ideas that everyone could take on board even with limited resources.

Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.