A cross-section of chiefs seated during the opening of the Kwahu Easter Paragliding Festival

 The Kwahu Township was thrown into a carnival mood when hundreds of tourists stormed the area to celebrate the 2024 Kwahu Easter Paragliding Festival that ended on Monday, April 1.

The four-day celebration which kicked off on Friday (Good Friday) attracted visitors from all corners of the country and beyond the country’s borders.

It was used to commemorate the Easter celebration of Christians.

The climax of the celebration was the paragliding session that saw a huge number of revelers queue for that lifetime experience flying across the mountainous Kwahu area.

With seasoned pilots including Jona­than Quaye from Ghana, Chuck Smith, Blake Pelton and Ed Stein from the USA, Okada Naohisa from Japan, Edu­ardo Reategui from Peru, and Hagan Muhlich from Germany in attendance, tourists were assured of a beautiful experience of having an aerial view of the Kwahu area topography.

A flight from the Odweanoma Moun­tain near Atibie in the Kwahu South Municipality of the Eastern region cost interested tourists GH¢1,000.

With a large crowd to applaud every move and skill displayed by the pilots, the tourists were flown beautifully across Mpraeso, Atibie, Obomeng and Abetifi mountains before landing safe­ly at the Nkawkaw Sports Stadium.

One passenger and tourist, Abraham Smith told The Spectator he was glad to be part of the festival and revealed that he had a lot to tell family and friends about his exciting experience.

In his view, the festival was exciting and a lot of people must be told about it to also enjoy that experience of a lifetime.

Aside the paragliding and other fun activities, there was a boom in eco­nomic activities at the site as food, water and other vendors cashed in on the occasion.

One boiled egg seller, Akosua Antwi shared with The Spectator how her wares got sold up and had to rush home to get more to sell.

“I sold a crate of boiled eggs in no time and had to go home to prepare more for sale. This activity boosts sales and economic activities in the area. I wish the Ghana Tourism Au­thority (GTA) would sustain it and add other activities to explore the tourism potential in the area,” she added.

Opening the festival, the Minis­ter-designate for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Andrew Egyapa Mercer recognised its significance and impact on the local economy of Kwahu and highlighted its contribution to reve­nue generation through employment creation for the Kwahu people.

He said the festival has also allowed for cultural heritage preservation and environmental assets, and has en­hanced the appeal of Kwahu as a tour­ist destination, leading to an increase in the number of visitors and generate revenue for the local tourism industry.

 The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GTA, Mr Akwasi Agyeman said the event has become the fulcrum for adventure and sightseeing activities that has attracted hundreds of tourists from all over the world to witness the paragliding festival since 2005.

“For instance, in 2016, we attracted 60 tourists and raised the peak to 248 in 2019 and since then, every year, the number keeps growing, thanks to the resilience of our pilots who have come in from all over the world and we acknowledge the work done by the community and assemblies as well.

He commended the Ministry of Roads and Highways for commencing the construction of the road leading to the paragliding sites and urged the contrac­tor to expedite action and finish before the 2025 edition.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Seth Acheampong said the festival had become a hallmark of the region and has not only brought joy and excite­ment to all but also played a crucial role in boosting the tourism indus­try and contributed to the economic growth of the locals in the country.

Nana Kwadjo Boama, representative of the Chief of Kwahu Atibiehene, said the chiefs were excited about the event and its associated benefits and called on the authorities to develop the other tourist sites in the Kwahu enclave.

 From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Kwahu Atibie