THE Forestry Commission has urged Ghanaians at home and in the diaspora to patronise and promote the country’s tourist reserves, saying Ghana has attractions that compare favourably with those in other countries.

The Acting Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission, Mr Timothy Ataboadey Awontiirim, said increased patronage would help showcase Ghana’s natural attractions to the rest of the world.

He made the call in Accra on Tuesday at the opening of activities to mark World Tourism Day.

Mr Awontiirim said Ghanaians should take a greater interest in the country’s reserves and encourage people to visit its tourist attractions.

“Look at other sites; when you compare our sites to them, they are far better than them,” he said.

“We are asking Ghanaians across the country, and those in the diaspora, to encourage people to patronise our reserves, to come and patronise what Ghana is made of and showcase it to the world.”

He said tourism offered Ghana an opportunity to generate economic value while preserving the country’s natural resources for future generations.

Mr Awontiirim argued that tourism provided a more sustainable economic opportunity than relying heavily on natural resources such as gold and cocoa.

“We have come to understand that tourism is the best investment you can get, not your cocoa, not your gold that has plagued us with a lot of galamsey, diseases and water issues. Tourism is green,” he said.

“Tourism is what will stand the test of time, not our minerals, not our gold.”

He said the Forestry Commission was also using digital technology to make Ghana’s tourist attractions more accessible to audiences around the world.

The Commission’s World Tourism Day celebration is being held under the global theme, “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism”, with the local sub-theme, “From Protected Areas to Smart Destinations”.

As part of the programme, the Commission is organising a Smart Eco-Tourism Hackathon to develop artificial intelligence and software solutions for Ghana’s parks and reserves.

The solutions are expected to improve visitor management, provide immersive digital access and support data-driven anti-poaching efforts.

An Eco-Tourism Innovation Exhibition is also showcasing technologies, including virtual reality trail previews, drone-assisted canopy monitoring and contactless hospitality systems.

Mr Awontiirim stressed, however, that technology should complement Ghana’s natural attractions rather than replace them.

By Abigail Arthur

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SIXTY-ONE persons, comprising 40 females and 21 males, have graduated from the second edition of the Marketable Skills Training Programme organised in Koforidua by the Centre for National Culture (CNC) in the Eastern Region.

The graduates, who underwent practical training in various fields, acquired skills in fascinator making, bead making and designing, basic sewing, advanced sewing and traditional dance (Kete), among others.

The programme, according to the Regional Director of the CNC, Dr Dorcas Salamatu Alhassan, was designed to equip participants with practical and relevant skills to improve their livelihoods, promote self-reliance and create opportunities for entrepreneurship.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Koforidua, Dr Alhassan said the initiative formed part of the Centre’s efforts to use culture, arts and crafts as tools for economic empowerment and national development.

She said the Centre recognised the important role practical skills and cultural entrepreneurship played in helping individuals, particularly young people and community members, transform their talents and creativity into sustainable livelihoods.

She said the Centre had previously trained 26 female beauticians in bead designing and 10 persons with disabilities, comprising seven females and three males, in bead designing in New Juaben South.

“In New Juaben North, 11 female fashion designers were trained in fascinator making, while 104 learners in Kwahu East were trained to produce wall-hanging artefacts from discarded plastic materials,” she revealed.

She said other interventions included training in batik tie-and-dye, artistic artefacts from plastic materials and pastry making in various districts.

Dr Alhassan said the maiden edition of the Marketable Skills Training Programme, held last year, had 43 participants, comprising 33 females and 10 males, who were trained in areas including fascinator making, facial make-up, decoration, sewing, crocheting and batik tie-and-dye.

She said the increase to 61 beneficiaries this year demonstrated the Centre’s continued commitment to creating practical opportunities that could translate talent and creativity into sustainable livelihoods.

For his part, the Executive Director of the National Commission on Culture (NCC), Mr Wisdom Wakefield Ackuaku, said the skills acquired would help the graduates build a better future and urged them to put their knowledge and skills to use for their economic benefit.

He said the era when parents considered vocational training to be for children who were not academically inclined had passed, urging parents to invest in their children’s future by enrolling them in vocational and skills training programmes.

From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua

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