Form closer collaboration between Ghana, Seychelles — Asantehene
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has called for a closer collaboration between Ghana and Seychelles to engender the exchange of ideas for the growth of tourism in particular, and the overall development of the economies of the two nations.
The Asantehene, who is in Seychelles as the Special Guest of Honour for this year’s Carnival International de Victoria, made the call during a closed-door meeting with the Seychellois President, James Michel at the State House, the seat of government, in the capital, Victoria.
Briefing the press after the meeting, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, who is the leader of the delegation to the event, said, “The Asantehene emphasised the need for the two countries to share ideas that will lead to the improvement of cultural and tourism products in Ghana and Seychelles to help accelerate development in the respective countries”.
“There is a historical relationship between the Ashantis and, for that matter, Ghana and Seychelles because the late Otumfuo Agyemang Prempeh went into exile in that country and stayed there for almost 25 years. Today, Seychelles is a top tourism destination from which Ghana can learn a lot”.
“We have also developed a lot of cultural products, and we are prepared to share ideas with the Seychellois in that respect,” the minister added.
The Asantehene, the minister said, expressed the hope that his trip to Seychelles would not be seen just as a historical visit having come nearly 100 years after the exile of Otumfuo Agyemang Prempeh, “but a platform for continuous positive discussions on tourism and the economies of the two historically friendly nations”.
The minister said she had invited the President and people of Seychelles to visit Ghana. “You are specially invited to the Adae Kese of Asanteman,” the minister told President Michel and his team of officials present at the meeting.
According to the minister, the Seychellois President said he was happy that after almost 100 years another Otumfuo had visited Seychelles. “History, indeed, has been made and we hope that the visit will have many positive outcomes,” the President said.
Ghana presented a 200-member team at this year’s event, which is the fifth edition of the Carnival International de Victoria, created half a decade ago to offer a platform for tourism players in Africa and the rest of the world to keep abreast of changes in the fast growing global tourism industry and remain in touch with each other.
Ghana’s delegation included government officials, traditional rulers, tourism practitioners, members of the hospitality and creative arts industries as well as journalists.
“The carnival, which runs from Friday, April 24 to Sunday, 26th, is a vital tool for placing the latest tourism news at the disposal of the stakeholders and it is a melting pot of cultures,” the Chief Executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board, Ms Sherin Naiken, told journalists at a press conference on Thursday.
