Princess Umul Hatiyya Ibrahim Mahama with reps from sponsors
Princess Umul Hatiyya Ibrahim Mahama has called for more investment in Ghana’s tourism sector.
According to her, the country could become one of Africa’s top tourist destinations if authorities address poor infrastructure, sanitation and environmental degradation. She made is assertion at the end of her 90-day, 6,814-kilometre expedition across all 16 regions of Ghana.
“Poor sanitation, environmental degradation and pollution, galamsey, lack of standards, poor maintenance culture, and the high rate of accident on our roads. These are just few disablers. Let me say this plainly: No tourist wants to spend their hard-earned money visiting a filthy village, town, or country. No one,” she said.
Princess Umul said the journey had strengthened her belief that tourism could become a major contributor of Ghana’s economic growth and job creation. She described Ghana as a “paradise” blessed with rich cultural heritage, wildlife, beaches, forests and historical sites that remain largely under-promoted.
She drew comparisons with leading tourism destinations in Africa, such as Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia in international tourist arrivals, adding that Ghana has the potential to become one of such countries.
“After visiting 90 countries on five continents, I can say this confidently: Ghana has everything it takes to become one of the three most visited countries in Africa, but potential alone is not enough. We have to invest in it,” she stressed.
She said attracting more tourists would create jobs, boost businesses and generate much-needed foreign exchange for the country.
She added that tourists have many destination choices, making it important for Ghana to improve its chances of attracting more tourists through sustained investment in tourism infrastructure and visitor experiences.
Princess Umul added that aside bringing eyes to Ghana’s tourism sector, another reason for the expedition was to raise GH¢2 million to improve facilities at the Savelugu and Ashanti Schools for the Deaf. According to her, the fundraising initiative is meant to remove barriers confronting children with hearing impairment rather than portray them as incapable.
“These children are talented, capable and full of potential. This is not charity because the children are incapable. It is about removing barriers so their abilities can shine,” she pointed out.
She expressed appreciation to her sponsors, family members and members of her expedition team for supporting the ambitious journey. She announced that the expedition generated about seven terabytes of video footage, which would be developed into documentary series aimed at telling Ghana’s stories from a Ghanaian perspective and inspiring more people to explore the country’s rich heritage.
By Vera Owusu Sarpong