Cable Cars To Be Constructed At Lake Bosomtwe- A/R Minister
As part of efforts to boost tourism in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, the Regional Minister, Hon Simon Osei-Mensah, says plans are underway for a cable car construction and development of other infrastructures at Lake Bosomtwe, one of six meteoritic lakes in the world.
He disclosed this to the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs when he made an appearance before them on Wednesday, November 15, 2023.
The aim, he said, was to develop communities around the lake to attract tourism to that section of the region.
“We are thinking of developing the communities around Lake Bosomtwe by developing cable cars from Kokoano to Abono and then around the lake. We also plan to develop motor and bicycle rails. The rails will increase hotel patronage when established around the lake. Without the rails, retaining visitors there will be difficult and hotels won’t be able to break even,” he told the House.
As such, he indicated that his outfit has approached the United States of America (USA) and China with the latter showing much interest in the idea.
Chinese Investment
According to Hon Osei-Mensah, the US Embassy, China, India, Israel, Canada and Germany have been approached for investments in the Ashanti Region.
His plan is geared towards the development of a railway, an international conference centre, an international theatre, hotels, tourism, multi-storey car parks and others in his jurisdiction.
Driven by these, he informed the House that together with some officials of the Regional Coordinating Council, he visited China in mid-October to inspect some of such projects and infrastructure at the invitation of the Asian country.
“We went on a tour to China to inspect such projects at the expense of China. We left on 15th October and returned on 27th October.”
Projects in the offing after engagement with some Chinese investors include a digital credit system company, a commercial rice farming project, a dairy products and cattle rearing project and a commercial rice farming project, he noted.
According to him, a company into rice processing equipment seeks to partner with a private rice growing company in Ghana.
Also is a potential collaboration between the yet-to-be-commissioned Confucius Institute of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and another University in China engaged in the automobile.
US And Canada
For the US embassy and the Canadian High Commission, the Regional Minister said their interest is in the fight against illegal mining.
The two have sought a report on menace which will be submitted next week, he said.
“The US has shown interest in the fight against galamsey especially on water bodies. The Embassy has demanded a report and by next week Wednesday, it will be submitted. We would like to begin with water bodies.”
“I suppose it will be quite easier to deal with water bodies because, with its headwater and its mouth, we will be able to determine where illegal mining is taking place. After that, we will fight that of lands. The Canadian High Commission has also shown interest, so we will submit the same report to them as well.”