Rehabilitated Pikworo Slave Camp inaugurated

The Rehabilitated Pikworo Slave Camp in Paga-Nania in the Kassena Nankana West District in the Upper East Region has been inaugurated.

The second phase of the rehabilitation works included the construction of a new imposing frontage, two summer huts to serve as a resting place for tourists who visit the facility, the mounting of signage and the provision of a place of convenience.

The first phase of the project, which has already been completed, involved the construction of a receptive centre where tourists and visitors to the facility would be received.

Transformation

At a ceremony to inaugurate the project, a Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of General Services, Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Benjamin Anane, said the government, through the GTA, thought it wise to transform the camp to protect the heritage of the people in the area.

He said in the tourism competitive index published by the World Economic Forum, Ghana was ranked 8th in sub-Saharan Africa adding that “our target is to be among the top five countries in the next five years.”

To achieve this, he indicated that it required a lot of interventions, such as identifying tourist attractions, to develop them to promote local tourism. He said that similar facelifts were being given to tourist sites across the country.

Mr Anane said tourism was a business venture that could catalyze economic activity in an area, adding, “When tourists and visitors travel to communities, they lodge in hotels, patronise local food and other linkages that promote the well-being of residents in the communities.”

He stated that every country saw tourism as a key sector that must be developed in a sustainable way towards national development, citing France as a country promoting tourism greatly due to its linkages and multiplier effects.

He implored the governing board of the camp to ensure that the facility was well-managed to stand the test of time and to serve its intended purposes.

On behalf of the five-member governing board of the camp, the Upper East Regional Director, GTA, Wisdom Ahadzi, welcomed the responsibility bestowed on them and pledged to do their best to reap the full benefit of the camp.

While assuring the gathering that the facility would henceforth not be handled as business as usual, he called for cooperation and support from all stakeholders towards sustaining the operations of the camp.

Camping facilities

The District Chief Executive for Kassena-Nankana West, Gerard Ataogye, said there was a need for camping facilities closer to the site, as some tourists would wish to stay longer in a bid to visit the camp.

Therefore, he announced that there was litigation-free land behind the camp and other places in the district to serve such purpose, adding:

“The assembly has properly demarcated the site to house other essential facilities.

“I hope that the private sector and other individuals will take advantage and invest now for greater returns tomorrow.” 

The Chief of Kazigu, Pe Thomas Aluah Asangchira, who chaired the event, commended GTA for giving a facelift to the camp, saying it would go a long way to preserve the cultural heritage of the people.

Background

The Pikworo Slave Camp was founded in 1704 as a transit point where slaves were auctioned and later sold in the Salaga Slave Market.

The camp was endowed with trees and rocks, where slaves were tethered.