Ada Is Safe For Tourism

By Edmund Mingle, Ada

The business community in Ada in the Greater Accra Region, one of the country’s main tourist destinations, has allayed the fears of domestic and foreign tourists in visiting the town, saying Ada is safe for tourism.

The assurance follows a huge slump in patronage of tourism and hospitality service at Ada, as a result of the recent disappearance of hiplife musician, Castro, and a lady friend while jet skiing in the Volta River, over two weeks ago.

Mrs Ghansah, MP for Ada and Mr John Ahortu,
Ada West DCE on a boat with the journalists on tour
the river sites at the weekend

Hitherto, the town had been bustling with domestic and foreign tourists, but patronage drastically dwindled since the incident in which, Castro also known as Theophilus Tagoe, and his friend, Janet Bandu, were feared to have drowned while jet skiing in the river at Ada.

But the business community says, although the incident was unfortunate, tourists need not fear because the area and the facilities remained safe.

Mrs. Comfort Doeyu Cudjoe Ghansah, Member of Parliament for Ada, speaking on behalf the business community during a tour of the area by a group of journalists, said the incident, which she described as an “accident”, should not discourage people from visiting the town.

“Ada is safe for tourism,” said Mrs. Ghansah, who is a Minister of State in charge of Social and Allied Agencies.

She said that all the resorts along the river enforce strict safety measures, particularly in the activities of clients on the river.

During the tour, only a handful of tourists were found on the banks of the river, with a few of them in a boat. In addition, traders of sea foods, fruits and vegetables, who also benefit from the patronage of tourists, are suffering from the dip in visitor numbers.

Yours Truly, cruising on a boat

That, the Minister said, was a very drastic dwindling in patronage since the area had been bustling with visitors prior to the drowning incident.

She feared that if the situation did not improve, it could have an adverse effect on Ada since most of the workers in the hospitality businesses were locals. Additionally, she feared that it could also affect the impending Asafotufiam Festival of Ada which would be held from August 1 to 7, 2014.

John Nurudeen Ahortu, District Chief Executive of Ada West, who accompanied the MP to conduct the media team around, said the district assembly monitors the operations of the tourism and hospitality industry in the area to ensure strict compliance with safety rules.

He said the area has one of the finest eco-tourism sites in the country, citing the 24 island sites, bird sanctuary and turtle site, in addition to the impressive beach and river scenery.

Some foreign tourists enjoying themselves during a cruise

Gerhard Peter Ursprunger, General Manager of Aqua Safari Resort, where Castro rented the Jet Ski, said the company’s facilities, including its speed boats, were safe.

He noted that the company and the other resorts along the river at Ada have lifeguards and collaborates to ensure the adherence to safety measures on the river.

“You are extremely safe here provided you, as a tourist, followed safety instructions when going on the river,” he said.