Travel: Africa’s busiest and dynamic square in a Red City

Tourism is strongly advocated by the reigning Moroccan monarch, Mohammed VI, with the goal of doubling the number of tourists visiting Morocco to 20 million by 2020. 

A major tourist destination is Marrakesh, the third largest city in the northeastern African country after Casablanca and Rabat.

Marrakesh is the most important of Morocco's four former imperial cities that were built by Moroccan Berber empires – the region was inhabited by Berber farmers from Neolithic times, but the actual city was founded in 1062.

It is easy to get lost in the city because all structures are in one colour – the red walls and various buildings constructed in red sandstone have given the city the nickname of the "Red City".

Marrakesh has established itself as a cultural, religious, and trading centre for the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa. Today it is one of the busiest cities in Africa and serves as a major economic centre and tourist destination.

One Cultural space you cannot afford to miss is Jamaa el Fna – a square and market place in Marrakesh's medina quarter – old city.

The square attracts people from a diversity of social and ethnic backgrounds and tourists from all around the world. Major attractions are snake charmers, acrobats, magicians, mystics, musicians, monkey trainers, herb sellers, food vendors, story-tellers and entertainers.

During the day it is predominantly occupied by orange juice stalls, youths with chained Barbary apes, water sellers in colourful costumes with traditional leather water-bags and brass cups, and snake charmers who will pose for photographs for tourists.

As the day progresses, the entertainment on offer changes: the snake charmers depart, and late in the day the square becomes more crowded, with Chleuh dancing-boys, story-tellers, magicians, and peddlers of traditional medicines.

As darkness falls, the square fills with dozens of food-stalls as the number of people on the square peaks.

The square is edged along one side by the Marrakesh souk, a traditional North African market catering both for the common daily needs of the locals, and for the tourist trade. On other sides are hotels and gardens and cafe terraces offering an escape from the noise and confusion of the square.

Narrow streets lead into the alleys of the medina quarter and a strong but discreet police presence ensures the safety of visitors.

It is fun to be at the Square but have enough cash if you want to pose for photographs – it is big business!

Investors explore establishing convention centre in Kumasi

A South African investment group is exploring the probability of establishing a modern international Convention Centre in Kumasi.

Such a facility often includes malls, motels and conferencing for people of different aims to converge for purposes of social, political, business and industrial shows.

Executive Director of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Charles Osei Bonsu who disclosed this says a team is presently undertaking feasibility to ascertain the viability of the project.

He says the interest is based on the ease in air connectivity from Accra to Kumasi and the strategic location of the Ashanti region as a central business enclave of the country.

Mr. Osei Bonsu says there are opportunities for job creation and a boost to the hospitality industry.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Kojo Bonsu, believes the city of Kumasi can single handedly host the 2017 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), the continental football tournament.

“If we prepare a good programme proposal and get serious to champion the cause, we should be able to host the African Cup of Nations in Kumasi,” he told newly sworn-in executives of the Ashanti regional chapter of the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF).

Newly sworn-in chairman of GHATOF Ashanti, Ahmed Naaman, says the preoccupation of the executives would be to drive tourists to Kumasi.

The Mayor wants players in the hospitality industry, especially, to gear up for the possibility of hosting the tournament in the city.

Kumasi would need 16 standard hotels in place to accommodate the 16 participating countries.

Mr. Bonsu therefore wants all hands on deck to engage government to make his vision a reality.

“All the other smaller hotels will make money because the tournament will be concentrated in Kumasi,” he said. He added that the football tournament will offer opportunities for small businesses and drive the city’s development.

The Kumasi Mayor wants the staging of the football tourney to be part of activities to commemorate the 350 years of founding the city of Kumasi.

Since assuming office in May 2013, the mayor has outlined ambitious projects to transform the socio-economic development of Kumasi. These include the planned installation of $1million CCTV cameras and the planting a million trees in the metropolis.

Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh 

Tourism federation targets informal sector with quality service training

Poor service delivery in the tourism and hospitality industry remains a major drawback to the growth of the sector.

Industry managers in both the public and private sectors are therefore committing to targeted training to improve the quality of service.

Some 18 thousand members of the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF) have so far been trained under the Skill Development Fund, managed by the Council for Vocational and Technical Education and Training (COTVET).

President of the Federation, David Nana Anim, tells Luv Biz the focus is skewed towards the informal sector, with a scheduled training of an additional 5,800 traditional caterers across the country.

He however says training is as important as licensing operators to conform to standards and be subjected to monitoring.

“Look at people selling around gutters, unclean environments and others go there to buy the food; so they are the target group that we need to train. Look at the issue of cholera [for instance], they must be trained because they are the people who can manage diseases,” he noted. “At the same time since you are in business, you need to pay for your license.”

 

GHATOF is strengthening regional bodies to position the private sector to drive the tourism and hospitality industry in Ghana.

Ashanti region, the cultural-based tourism hub of the country, is considered critical heartbeat for the growth of the industry, hence the establishment of a regional chapter

According to the Executive Director of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Charles Osei Bonsu, says Kumasi is growing as an attractive tourism and investment destination based on the ongoing projects including the Kumasi and the planned construction of the second national theatre.

“If you look at the patronage of domestic airlines, that should tell you that we’re growing and the potentials are enormous,” he observed. “What we are going to do now is to focus on product development; that is the development of the attraction sites and then the development of the super-structure facilities; that is more hotels, more restaurants of specialty, nightclubs, movie theatres and so on.”

Mr. Osei Bonsu added that capacity building for personnel is prioritized. “We need to provide quality service so that we can meet or exceed the expectation of guests,” he said.

Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh 

Touring Ghana's only natural lake

The Lake Bosomtwe is Ghana’s only natural inland lake and one of the few in Africa.

The Abono Declaration of 1999 identified the Lake Bosomtwe as an eco-tourism zone, but plans to develop the basin have not been carried through successfully.

Today, the Lake Bosomtwe, situated within an ancient meteorite impact crater, is affectionately acclaimed the ‘Sea of Ashanti’, increasingly attracting foreign and domestic tourists.

Located about 30km south-east of Kumasi, the area has become a major recreational destination for holiday-makers in the Ashanti region and other parts of the country.

It indeed feels good and pleasant to be at the banks of the lake, especially on a warm afternoon – to enjoy the soothing breeze, the whistles of the birds and the greenly scenery that abound around the calm water; where man and nature come under an atmospheric harmony.

Travelling from the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi, to the lakeside itself is fun – the exciting scenes of rural living, the beacon to taste palm wine en route to the lake town of Abono and the politeness of the youth of the area to educate you about the history behind the Lake Bosomtwe; which is more of a mystery of a hunter and a missing antelope.

Recreational activities for holidaymakers and visitors to the lakeside include swimming, Lake Cruise, musical jamboree and most recently horse cum canoe ride, which is a private-sector initiative.

The Green Ranch at the lake side offers an adventurous experience for both adults and children to enjoy the sport of horse riding, which is very uncommon for Ghanaians.

Established barely a month ago, the Eco-Friendly Equestrian Leisure Centre is attracting groups and individuals seeking the sports and entertainment of horse-trekking.

Elodie Antwi, known in the local community as Abena Ponko (horse) is in-charge of the ranch. She says patrons are offered the service of riding along the banks of the lake as wells exploring the length and breadth of the water in a canoe.

A number of hotels and resorts have also sprung up, offering diverse services to patrons.

The Republic Day Lake Festival has also been instituted by the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB), in collaboration with the Bosomtwe District Assembly and the Multimedia Group, to boost the tourism and socio-economic potentials of the area.

The 2011 maiden edition of the festival attracted thousands of residents in the Ashanti region and beyond to join in the fun of the party at the lakeside. Top highlife artistes, Kofi B, KK Fosu and Kofi Nti thrilled holidaymakers with their exciting live band performances.

However, the potentials of the lakeside remain untapped because of under-developed facilities to promote eco-tourism around the inland lake.

In a bid to develop facilities in the area, the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council is collaborating with the Tourist Board to commission a socio-economic survey as a step to develop a land-use plan for the enclave.

According to the Regional Manager of GTB, Ekow Sampson the project is aimed at attracting investors to improve the livelihood of local communities.

“We are also thinking of structural plan that will involve the areas around and I’m sure that in the next two to three years investors that will be coming in will be ready to say let me put this thing here or there”, he said.

The Bosomtwe District Assembly has identified developments in road and housing infrastructure as critical factors in the drive to maximize the full economic and tourism potentials of the Lake Bosomtwe.

The assembly is scouting investors to create a water park for water sporting activities, as well as cycling and hiking routes to provide adventure and recreation for visitors.

The district is also hoping to take advantage of the forest cover and slopes around the lake to create a park with hanging bridges, similar to the Kakum National Park.

District Coordinating Director, Felicia Dapaah believes communities along and around the lake would benefit from such investments when housing and road infrastructure are enhanced.

“Even though we have quite a number of hotels doted around the area, because our district is very close to Kumasi, we believe that if we have a housing policy – a very good housing programme, it will also boost tourism in the area. We are thinking about one bedroom, two bedroom apartments, where people coming to Kumasi or the lakeside will spend a day or two with their family members.

“Then we are also thinking about our roads; if you look at communities along the lake, as we speak now there is no linkage to the various communities and if we have a cycling route along the lake that links the various communities, that could also be an exciting adventure for people”, Mrs. Dapaah said.

If the partner groups should succeed in the investment drive to develop the Lake Bosomtwe, the image of the Ashanti region would be enhanced as a leading cultural and tourism destination in Ghana.

Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh

Playing the host – 'Farming with Trees'

First it was in Ibadan-Nigeria, and then to Nairobi-Kenya, all in 2009 but least did I expect that Kumasi-Ghana would be the next stop for the WRENmedia team in 2010, thanks to the UK Department for International Development (DFID).

Lucky me, I had the privilege of being assigned the role of a co-trainer. However meeting Mike and Susie once again was more of a family reunion… and I did miss Susanna; actually, anyone who has had the opportunity of meeting, interacting or doing anything with anyone at WRENmedia will attest to the FACT that they are more than teachers, facilitators, editors and… all those professional attributes. Oh yes – Mama Susie is always concerned about the health of her trainees even as she motherly leads the ‘radiolets’ to keep their eyes on the ‘redbox’ with cues, interviews and features whilst Papa Mike ensures his ‘printlets’ complete their production schedule in time with little or no pain.

Well, I knew all these but certainly could not say same for the new course participants who came from Anglophone West Africa - Nigeria, Cameroon, Sierra Leone and my very own Ghana. These Journalists on the ‘Better Science Reporting’ workshop apparently wanted to have a real experience of ‘Farming with Trees’ – which was the subject of the training. They came focusing on tree crops like Cashew, Allanblackia, Cola, Moringa, Cocoa, etc.

The Samaritan Villa Guesthouse located within the Christian Village at Santasi, Kumasi was home to the team. General impression about choice of training venue and customer service was positive though some participants had challenges with my typical local cuisine like ‘banku and okra stew’. Thank God the fried plantain and beans or ‘red red’ came to my rescue.

The Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) played the role of partners and really made the group feel the Ghanaian ‘Akwaaba’ hospitality – very proud of Teresa Peprah and all in facilitating movements and contacts with researchers. Tree crop and agroforestry specialists came in handy to enrich the journalists in all aspects of tree-crop farming and provided other information to improve their understanding of science. The three-night science safari to the Bobiri Forest Reserve and Butterfly Sanctuary was intriguing, fun and educative – Evans was at hand to take the group on the forest trail. Created in 1939 when it was still unexploited primary forest, the tropical forest reserve – covering an area of 54.6sq.Km – is one of the most beautiful reserves in the West African sub-region with over 400 species of butterflies and 100 bird species.
Moments with the trees were simply awesome – truly nature should not be compromised for any so-called modern development. And for this reason, campaigners like the Rainforest Friends Ghana and the Trees for Life must be supported to advance advocacy for tree planting and preservation of forests.

Now, the team later returned to the Samaritan Villa much refreshed to complete assignments on time… and the production team had put up their best for a good job (greetings to Aaron).

What next? After shopping strolls at the Kumasi Cultural Center and the city’s central business district, it was party time… and the Clarke House hosted the family on a rainy Tuesday – a blessed night it was – good fun, lovely gifts and soothing testimonies! Time to say goodbye and my story should have ended here, but no…

The final day trip to the Blue Skies fruit processing plant and the pineapple farms of Prudent Exports Limited was a reflection of the safari to Bobiri Forest – farms and trees should co-exist for mutual benefits. Now after a good lunch with fresh pineapple juice, and a drive through pineapple plantations, it dawn on me that the time to let go had arrived.

Parting ways has always been mixed – and the Ghana experience was no exception! As Susie and Mike were zoomed to the Kotoka International Airport to catch their flight back to the UK, thoughts of admiration filled my heart, appreciating the enormous task of creating a production team of African journalists to work with scientists, researchers and communities - all within a short period of ten days.

Indeed, working with people with diverse cultural, philosophical and emotional attachments can be very challenging. Personally I was angered by certain characters, and so did some of my talk or action not go down well with other team members.

Playing host to the Kumasi ‘Better Science Reporting’ workshop has opened my thoughts to the intricacies of event management and creative methodologies in knowledge (skill) impartation. But most importantly, I have become much conscious about the need to keep my calm when opinions and emotional outbursts of people do not conform to my personal ideals - respect and love for fellow (wo)man as well as nature is as important as reporting science.

May the WRENmedia family of African journalists interested in reporting science live forever!
©KAD