Ghana observes tourism day
Posted by travelhouseuk on October 9, 2008
The Ghana Tourist Board and the Tourists Clubs Association of the Western Region have undertaken a tree planting exercise at the Sekondi Sports Stadium to mark the celebration of World Tourism Day. This year’s celebration was on the theme: “Tourism-Responding to the challenges of climates changes.”The Sekondi Sports Stadium is one of two newly constructed international standard stadia built by the Ghana government for the hosting of the MTN CAN 2008 football tournament which took place in January this year.
Organizers of the tree planting exercise said it is aimed at replacing the vegetation that was cleared to pave way for the construction of the stadium. Additionally, they hoped to provide shade for people who would also find their way there while the trees would also be providing oxygen for human life among others.
The Western Regional Manager of the Ghana Tourist Board, Ebenezer Hammond, said: “We are just not planting the seedlings, but will collaborate with Forestry Commission Officials to take care of them till they grow to fulfill the intended purpose,”
About 200 members from the Takoradi Polytechnic, GHAPOHA, Voice of the Youth Compassionate, New Face and Fijai Tourist Clubs, all within the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis participated. They planted 250 acacia seedlings along the access roads to the sports stadium.
Hammond called on Ghanaians to concentrate on the positive aspects of tourism to develop their communities. He described tourism as both a lifestyle and multi-faceted because of the economic benefits, the socialization and the enlightenment it brings to the participants and calls on students to join the tourist clubs. He again calls on Ghanaians to plant trees around their buildings, saying it is one of the ways of controlling climate change.
He cautioned chain saw operators and saud winners not to degrade the environment but rather ensure a balance in their activities.
Mean while, Tourists Clubs in Tarkwa, a famous mining area in the Western Region have as part of celebrations of the day embarked on tree planting exercises to reclaim mined and abandoned land by mining companies in the area. This they say is in consonance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s standards to reclaim degraded lands.
