Report by Francis MENSAH (Adwenpa-Hene)
Developmental Journalists Association (DJA), a nonprofit journalism organization have expressed concern about the deplorable state of the entrance to Ghana and West Africa’s ‘Big Tree’ tourist site in the Eastern Region.
The Big Tree tourist site which is located at Aprokumasi Akyem-Manso in the Asene Manso Akroso District of the Eastern Region was not designated as a tourism site until 2004, when the then Minister of Tourism and Modernisation of the Capital City, late Hon. Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, officially listed the site as an tourism centre and therefore lobbied with government to develop the facility as an attraction site.
However, the facilities were abandoned by the NDC government until the NPP came to power in 2017.
Reliable records indicate that the current government through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC) and the Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC) decided to re-develop the facility in line with the vision of improving the facility, which will thereby attract visitors to the center with the ultimate goal of generating revenue for the development of the community.
The redeveloped and upgraded ‘Big Tree’ tourist site, was commissioned by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC) and the Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC) on 22nd June 2021, approximately two years ago.
The re-developed project covered a general renovation of the Receptive Facility involving a complete re-roofing of the facility, renovation of toilet & urinal facilities, the designation of a visitor information centre, a cafeteria and a children’s playground.
The rest are the construction of a car park as well as the creation of an event centre to be used for social events such as parties, funerals and graduation ceremonies.
On the Big Tree and Forest Reserve side, the upgrade includes the relocation of the entrance to the forest, the construction of a wooden entry arch, and the erection of a 20-metre log fence on both sides of the entry arch.
When the team from Developmental Journalists Association (DJA), visited the facility recently after its redevelopment two years after its renovation, it realized that the entrance to the forest has collapsed.
The Executive Director of the Developmental Journalists Association (DJA), Adwenpa-hene Kofi Mensah known in real life as Mensah Francis expressed worry about the poor maintenance culture of Ghanaians and reiterated the need for us to change for good.
He stressed that if there is anything that drains the public purse and also hinders the country’s development, then it is our lack of maintenance culture.
The phenomenon, Adwenpa-Hene who is also a Daily Searchlight Newspaper reporter, added has eaten deep into the larger Ghanaian society, therefore burdening the public purse and the earlier measures are taken to reverse it, the better.
According to him, the attitude and approach with which we handle government as a nation is very appalling which makes it look as if there is nobody responsible for government properties.
“One observation made is the fact that we as a country would have been more developed if we had practiced or made this culture of maintenance part of us,” he said.
He also blamed the contractor for the project for the massive disappointment meted out to Ghanaians.
Adwenpa-hene, therefore, called on the government to hold the contractor accountable for all the shoddy work on the facility.
He appealed to the appropriate authorities and stakeholders to immediately have a look at the facility and redevelop the entrance to the forest again.
The Big Tree, which is located in the Eastern Region is described as the biggest tree in the whole of West Africa.
This tree can be found in the Essen-Epam Forest Reserve owned by the Akyem Manso Stool. It is estimated to be over 400 years old.
The Forest Reserve is managed by the Forest Services Division of the Forestry Commission with the Big Tree within the Tourism Enclave of the Forest being managed by Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC).
