The Member of Parliament for Damongo Constituency, and Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor, MP, has called on Ghanaians, both home and abroad as well as visitors who come to the country, to visit the Damongo Constituency, as it is arguably, the best tourist destination in northern Ghana.
He said the constituency, which is made up of 104 towns, villages and communities, was home to several sites of historical significance, awe-inspiring landscapes, and cultural diversity, which madethe constituencyan exceptional destination for tourists seeking to immerse themselves in the beauty and traditions of Ghana and West Africa.
Mr Jinapor was speaking in Parliament yesterday when he made a statement on tourist attractions in the Damongo Constituency.
He said tourism offered a glimpse into history, culture and nature, and thus should not be reserved for foreigners alone, saying there were several tourist attractions in the country, which if well patronised, would contribute substantially to the national economy.
Tourism has become a major boost for many countries across Africa, such as Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Rwanda, and Zambia.
On Tuesday, July 4, 2023, President Akufo-Addo commissioned the renovated and modernised Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, with a commitment to make Ghana the tourism hub of West Africa.
Mr Jinapor said that initiative, coupled with others, such as the Year of Return and Beyond the Return, showed the government's commitment to promoting tourism in the country.
Highlighting some of the tourist attractions in the Damongo Constituency, the MP mentioned the Larabanga Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in Africa, mostly referred to as "the Mecca of West Africa."
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Mr Jinapor also mentioned the Mystic Stone, also located atLarabanga and other tourist attractions such asthe Mognori Eco Village, a community-based tourism project in Mognori, that provides a range of tourist activities such as guided nature walks, traditional drumming and dancing and handicraft demonstrations, as well as the Mole National Park, the first, largest and most prestigious protected area in the country, which previously served as a Game Clearance Area, that currently hosts, various plant and animal species, including elephants, buffalos, lions, monkeys, and other rare and endangered species.
The park also hosts West Africa's first luxury safari lodge, the Zaina Lodge, which provides top-notch hospitality services with a unique cultural touch to visitors of the park and its catchment areas.
Mr Jinapor said Damongo, which served as the capital of the constituency, the Savannah Region, as well as the Gonja Kingdom, and hosts the famous Jakpa Skin, had a rich cultureand offered patrons historical experience of the Gonja people, including their festivals, such as the Damba and Fire (or Jintigi) festivals.
Mr Jinapor thanked President Akufo-Addo and the Minister for Tourism, Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, for the special attention they had paid to tourism in the Damongo Constituency, and called on all and sundry, to patronise these sites for the rich experience they offer.
The Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, urged the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, to take Mr Jinapor's statement and explore the various tourist destinations for employment opportunities for the youth.
