Avatime Paramount Chief Pays Courtesy Call on Tourism Minister to Advance Ecotourism Development
His Royal Majesty Osie Adza Tekpor VII, Paramount Chief and President of the Avatime Traditional Council, accompanied by a delegation of chiefs from the Avatime Traditional Area, paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, in Accra.
The visit provided an opportunity to deepen engagement between the Avatime Traditional Council and the Ministry on efforts to develop and promote the Avatime Traditional Area as one of Ghana’s leading tourism destinations.
Central to the discussions was the Avatime Ecotourism and Hospitality Initiative, a proposed sustainable tourism and regional development programme being promoted by MEK Group of Companies Inc. and its subsidiary, MEK Ecotourism & Hospitality Inc., with the support of the Avatime Traditional Council. The initiative seeks to position Avatime and the wider Volta Highlands as a premier destination for ecotourism, cultural heritage, recreation and hospitality in Ghana and the West African sub-region.
The initiative has been conceptualised as an integrated development platform combining eco-hospitality, adventure tourism, environmental conservation, cultural heritage preservation and inclusive community-based economic development within the Avatime Highlands.
During the meeting, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie congratulated Osie Adza Tekpor VII for leading the charge to position Avatime as a major tourism destination in Ghana. She commended the vision of the Traditional Council and assured the Paramount Chief of the Ministry’s support towards helping bring the vision to fruition.
The Minister also encouraged indigenes of Avatime to actively support development initiatives at the local level, stressing the importance of community participation and the contribution of citizens to the development of their traditional areas.
For the Avatime Traditional Council, tourism represents an important pathway for translating the area’s rich natural landscapes, favourable climate, cultural heritage and community assets into sustainable economic opportunities for local people. The Council has emphasised that tourism development in Avatime should create employment, stimulate local enterprise, preserve culture and protect the natural environment.
The Traditional Council has formally expressed its support for the Avatime Ecotourism and Hospitality Initiative and highlighted its potential to generate sustainable employment and enterprise opportunities, promote cultural preservation, enhance tourism infrastructure, improve livelihood opportunities for young people and women, attract domestic and international investment and stimulate local economic growth.
The proposed development model also places community participation at its core. It envisages direct and indirect employment, the participation of community-based enterprises in the tourism value chain, skills development and increased opportunities for local service providers. Environmental sustainability is equally central to the initiative, with emphasis on conserving natural ecosystems, promoting eco-friendly tourism and ensuring sustainable resource use.
Also present at the meeting was a Director responsible for tourism at the Ministry, as well as Madam Akofa Edjeani, a prominent indigene of Avatime and renowned Ghanaian veteran film actress, producer and entrepreneur. The courtesy call forms part of the Avatime Traditional Council’s broader effort to build partnerships with government institutions, investors, development partners, the private sector and Avatime indigenes to unlock the area’s tourism potential.
The Council has expressed its readiness to cooperate with relevant governmental institutions and other stakeholders towards the successful realisation of the initiative, while recognising that the implementation of specific project components will be subject to applicable laws, regulatory approvals, environmental permitting and stakeholder consultations.
The engagement with the Ministry represents an important step in the Traditional Council’s vision to establish Avatime as a model sustainable tourism destination in Ghana, where tourism development contributes directly to local livelihoods while preserving the area’s natural environment, cultural identity and heritage.
With sustained government support, community participation and strategic investment, the Traditional Council believes Avatime can emerge as a distinctive tourism destination that demonstrates how traditional leadership, government, local communities and the private sector can work together to drive sustainable local development.
Credit: Chairman, Avatime Tourism Committee
