By Ghana News Agency
Okere district has identified several tourism sites located in different parts of the district to be developed to standard, to create jobs and improve internally generated fund (IGF) for the assembly
The sites include; four waterfalls located at Akyerematen, Akaa, Asenema and Abiriw , the umbrella rock, fertility rock and several caves at Akyerematen, the Okomfo Anokye shrine and his birthplace at Awukugua, Dedeku, a stream said to be created by okomfo Anokye at Apirede and a forest reserve, at Abiriw.
This came to light when the District Chief Executive (DCE) Mr Daniel Kenneth, led a team from the Ghana Tourist Authority and other stakeholders to tour the identified sites and strategies on how best to develop them to standard, to attract visitors.
Some of the sites like the Akaa and Asenema waterfalls, even though were opened to tourists, lacked basic infrastructure such as roads and receptive facilities to make visitors feel welcome.
Briefing the Ghana News Agency, after the seven-hour tour of the various facilities, the DCE indicated that the newly created district was poised to promote tourism in the area, considering the huge endowment of natural and historic facilities.
He said almost all the seven towns that made up the Okere district was endowed with one or two tourism potentials and indicated their preparedness to develop all those sites to standard and create employment for the youth in the area.
The DCE indicated that as a first step, the roads leading to the identified sites, particularly, the access road to the Akyerematen fall and caves, would be graded and connected to electricity
Mr Kenneth said the assembly was collaborating with the chiefs and elders of the respective towns to ensure unity of purpose.
The Acting President of the Okere traditional area and chief of Awukugua, Nana Opese Kunadu, commended the assembly for taking the initiative to develop the natural endowments into well developed facilities to create jobs.
He noted that the Awukugua township was founded in 1283 and was the birthplace of the famous okomfo Anokye, yet little was known about the history and expressed the hope that the developments of the tourist facilities would also open up the Okere area for investments.
Nana Kwame Henaku, chief of Abiriw pledged support to the assembly in developing the waterfall and forest reserve of the area to create job opportunities for the youth.