The Minister Designate for the Central Region, Edumoah Ekow Panyin Okyere, has pledged to prioritise the transformation of the region’s tourism sector, aiming to make it more inclusive and accessible to both locals and visitors.
Speaking during his vetting, Okyere expressed his desire to be remembered as a leader who revolutionised tourism in the Central Region, addressing long-standing challenges that have hindered its growth.
Okyere highlighted the current state of the region’s tourism sector, describing it as “not indigene-friendly.”
He pointed out that high costs associated with hotels and other facilities have made it difficult for Ghanaians to fully enjoy the region’s rich tourist attractions.
He explained that the high costs often force visitors to cram their itineraries into a single day.
“What happens now is that tourists, especially those coming from Accra, leave early in the morning and return the same evening. This means they have to rush through multiple attractions in one day, which doesn’t allow for a fulfilling experience,” Okyere noted.
He emphasized that if accommodations were more affordable, visitors could extend their stays to at least three days, enabling them to explore the region more thoroughly and meaningfully.
Okyere’s vision includes making the Central Region a more attractive and accessible destination by addressing the affordability of hotels and other tourist facilities. He believes that by lowering costs, the region can unlock its full tourism potential, boost local economies, and create more opportunities for businesses and communities.
“So, if anybody wants to come to the region for any tourist activity, what they do is they crash it; so the bus will leave Accra in the morning and return in the evening. It means they will have to go to many places within the day. If the hotel facilities were cheap, at least they would have had three days to have a meaningful tourist experience,” he stated.
