Public Agenda (Accra)
Joseph Mensah-Ansah
10 July 2009
opinion
Ghana's tourism development should be guided by the right policies which should be owned by the Government and for that matter the Ministry of Tourism and not as caprices of the persons who happen to find themselves at the helm of affairs because of political manipulations. Indeed, in order to get the development of our tourism right we have to do it right by having the needed commitment of government to see tourism development as a key component of our national development policies and perhaps set it as a fulcrum upon which to balance national development.
By developing right policies owned by government and not seen as gimmicks of political party', successive governments will not dissipate funds, time and human capacity in moving around the same issues since the knowledge of developing tourism dawned on our first government.
So far we as a nation have made some progress but if we have been more focused and moved in the right direction consistently, the development of our tourism will by now be the envy of other nations. Perhaps it is time to move forward in the right direction in terms of policy and attach some urgency to the development of our tourism industry.
As a nation, we have to sow and invest in tourism which is not exhaustible like our newly discovered oil resource which we are taunting so much about. Government will have to gather the will and implement the numerous policies that have been developed over the years so that as the benefits of other resources begin to show some sluggishness, we as a nation will not be cursing our stars and remorsing in our inactivity but rather blessing our maker for his goodness that we have taken the right steps when we had the opportunity. And if our new discovery, oil, continues to ooze out of our wells, we would be enjoying the benefits of double anointing for implementing a better vision for a better Ghana. As a nation we have numerous tourism sites that are in their raw state. What we need are sincere men of focused purpose and vision to provide the necessary guidance
Previous governments have done enough background work on tourism. It is now time for current and successive government to take the bull by the horn and appropriately resource the Ministry of Tourism and its implementing agency the Ghana Tourist Board so that they can put the tourism industry on the right pedestal and proudly showcase our numerous tourism resources. For a start government can select two tourism projects in each region (that give us twenty projects. Luckily for us each region is blessed with more that two viable tourism sites) and provide the needed infrastructure, human capacity and the right political support. This should be done through the district assemblies in collaboration with the private sector. Appropriate guidelines should be drawn for these projects so that its conception, implementation and management are done in a businesslike manner. Careful consideration should be given to the identification of the tourism sites in each region. The selected projects should be pro-poor, thus the involvement of the local community will be key in order that we do not embark on politically pleasing projects that will be abandoned by the next government.
These tourism projects should be developed based on a blue print that is anchored on rural development, wealth mobilization, "effective" empowerment, employment creation and revenue generation.
This blue print should be the policy trust of government and the manifestoes of ruling and prospective governments should have policies on tourism based on this blue print. As a nation, we have been so blessed by God with numerous tourism resources including our culture and the various government agencies involved with its management should be seen to be working in concert and not at cross purposed as has been so far. The newly formed inter-governmental agency on tourism development should not be another tea drinking opportunity but rather it should work at creating the oneness of mind in the practical development of tourism in Ghana. The tourism development fund if established under the Tourism Authority should contribute in the setting up of the pilot projects.
Tourism is a tool and its proper use will result in attendant benefits of wealth mobilisation, employment generation and the empowerment of our people. The government should aim at enhancing and creating the fundamental structures for tourism to blossom. Key among these are the roads, energy, communication facilities, security and awareness creation about the selected sites and the import of tourism to the people of Ghana. Already some foundational work has been done by previous governments and if for nothing at all, the present government should build on these and make them sustainable. One way of doing this is to make the communities in which these projects will be sited, not only the focus but they must be involved. This will give them the innate conviction that will enable them to offer their support and be proud to hit their chest and say that "this is our project". The funds from the Tourism development fund should not be used to fund frivolities or white elephants that will help win political votes in the short term and leave our people more impoverished. It should be used in the development of our tourism potentialities in a coordinated manner which is sustainable, realistic and permanently beneficial to the people.
Tourism helps the economy by assisting in the movement of people for one place to another in search of leisure, education, pleasure among others. The role of government is to facilitate this. After all business men and investors first go to a place as tourists. It is when tourism is developed, i.e. movement of people encouraged; that our transport sector will be vibrant, our petrol stations will have customers, hotels, resorts and guesthouses will have customers, supermarkets and shops will be visited; bars and restaurants will have clients; and the vulcanisers and the petty vendors of local fruits will be engaged. Tourism is a chain reaction that runs through the economy because tourists will eat, drink and make merry all of which they have to pay for.
Tourism is government initiated and private sector propelled activity. Government should therefore encourage and support the building of strong synergy of purposes with the private sector. It is a known fact that Ghana cannot develop its tourism potentials without the full involvement of the private sector. The private sector is ready for engagement and government will have the support the growth of ghatof in order that it can play its expected role effectively. The fact is that government should pave the way for the private sector to be effective. Government should develop and enhance their capabilities and partner with them in the management of the selected projects.
It is my hope that the proposed Tourism Authority will be positioned in such a manner that it will be proactive and lead the development of tourism in Ghana. The new authority should as much as possible be devoid of political manipulation and should be staffed with the right technical team which abound in the country for the effective development of our tourism industry. Its time we do it right, once and no more by investing appropriately in tourism so that we can move forward in the right direction as a nation.
*The author is a Lecturer at the Dept of Hospitality & Works-GIMPA and a PhD Candidate
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 Public Agenda. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
