Oguaa needs to exploit untapped potentials for development — Mensah-Hagan

Mr Alexander Mensah-Hagan, General Director of Societe des Mines, a mining company located at Burkina Faso, has appealed to the Oguaa Traditional Council to exploit the untapped potentials in the Area to help enhance business growth for prosperity.

He said tourism in Ghana could not be pointed out without mentioning Cape Coast, hence, the need for traditional leaders and the citizens to reposition themselves to take full advantage of the enabling environment to thrive.

Mr Mensah-Hagan, made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after a youth forum organised by the Cape Coast Youth Development Association (CCYDA) as part of activities to celebrate the Oguaa 2022 festival.

The celebration was on the theme: “Making Cape Coast Great Again; Through Education, Tourism and Development.“

He pointed out that it was time the chiefs collaborated with the citizens and market key investments areas of attraction of the Area and harness the potentials to benefit them and the country.

The General Director who was a Guest Speaker at the Youth Forum said the Area was endowed with immense natural, cultural, historical and artistic attractions that needed to be developed and promoted for both international and domestic tourists.

Some untapped sites he mentioned were the table on which the bond of 1844 was signed on, the building the bond was signed in, the Methodist Church, the military cemetery and among others all within the Cape Coast Metropolis.

He noted that tourism had the potential of creating jobs for the local communities where tourist sites were located to re-distribute wealth and income that will promote national unity and cohesion leading to economic growth.

Mr Mensah-Hagan regretted that Ghana as a country does not give much premium to most things that could generate income, create jobs and opportunities to boost the economy.

Citing a scenario, he said coconut is sold for GH¢2.00 in Ghana whereas most countries sell that at 30 dollars and said coconut could be re-packaged and re-branded to generate good income for the locals.

He, consequently, called on government to promote local foods and drinks at international, national and regional programmes to advertise the country's product for positive impact on the economy for growth and development.

Additionally, he noted that there were a lot of untapped opportunities in the traditional area and the country that could be profiled and marketed to investment markets both locally and internationally.

He appealed to tourists who visit the area to invest in some potentials of Cape Coast for the citizenry to be impacted by their visits.

Mr Mensah-Hagan called on the youth to come on board the table with stakeholders and leaders to change Oguaa to be the better place they all yearned for.

GNA