Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture and Creative Arts, Catherine Afeku, has observed that the Wli Waterfalls in the Hohoe Municipality could become Ghana’s tourism haven if resourced.
She said dilapidated changing rooms, lack of rest stops, sanitary and recreational facilities have discouraged dedicated tourists to the falls.
The minister made the observation when she toured some tourist sites in the region, including the Volta lakeside at Dzemeni in the South Dayi District and Fort Prinzenstein in the Keta Municipality, with some tourist Ambassadors.
At a meeting with some chiefs of Wli, Madam Afeku highlighted that mismanagement of revenue was also affecting smooth running of the facility and hinted that tolls at the falls would be automated in two weeks with the latest electronic payment systems.
She added that the automation of some tourist sites in the country had realised significant improvements in revenue, and that the Wli Falls would soon be able to rebuild its facilities, and appealed for the cooperation of stakeholders to make that a success.
“Despite all these challenges, tourists keep flocking to the Wli, so I’m hopeful that the advanced payment systems and other interventions will help transform this place and affect the lives of the women and youth in the area,” Madam Afeku stated.
She indicated that her ministry was also crafting useful interventions like the training of tour guides and charged the inhabitants to take full responsibility of the place to keep it on the tourism map of visitors.
Edem, a Ghanaian hiplife artiste and tourism ambassador for the region, mentioned that he would use his influence to attract more investors to develop the sites and help promote to them both locally and internationally.
