Some local tourists have called on the Ministry of Tourism and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) to invest in the Adom Waterfalls at Obosomase in the Akuapim South Municipal District in the Eastern Region.
They said enhanced investment in the sites would boost patronage and attract more tourists for increased revenue.
The Adom Waterfalls, which are near the Aburi Botanical Garden, are a beauty to behold amidst the spectacular scenery of the clean water, which flows peacefully on nature’s well-arranged sedimentary rocks.
However, the road leading to the site is terrible, with sharp stones sticking out of it, making it impossible to drive to the place, and one’s best bet is to park far away and trek down to the site.
Mr Kingsley Appiah, a building engineer, told the Ghana News Agency, that he revisited the Adom Waterfalls with his colleagues after hearing that the place had been uplifted, only for him to get disappointed upon reaching there.
Mr Appiah said the upgrade was not up to standard to attract both local and foreign tourists, adding that it was worrying that such a tourist site did not have any washrooms, and patrons must resort to using the bush when nature calls.
He further urged the authorities to introduce some other recreational activities apart from the waterfalls to make the site attractive to visitors.
Mr Richard Omari, a media personnel, complained about the level of neglect of the site, saying it had a high potential of generating revenue and providing job opportunities for the youth in the area.
Mr Omari called for the urgent repair of the road leading to the waterfalls, to make it easy for visitors to access the facility.
Mr George Akufo, a caretaker of the Adom Waterfalls, told the GNA that the GTA had paid a series of visits to the place, but was yet to take any action to address the challenges at the site.
Giving the history of the waterfalls, he explained that about 50 years ago, a hunter got lost in the forest on one of his hunting expeditions and in his bid to find his way back home, discovered the waterfalls deep in the forest.
He said the hunter, upon his return to the village, informed the chiefs about his discovery, and they subsequently named it Adom, meaning “Grace,” indicating that it was just by the grace of God that such a beautiful site had been discovered in Obosomase.
The caretaker added that the necessary customary rites were later performed to officially open the place for people to visit and indicated that several people had over the years been entrusted with taking care of the place until it was the turn of his family to do so.
He disclosed that the Adom waterfalls had the same source as the Chenku waterfalls at Dodowa and belonged to the same stool.
Touching on the road leading to the place, he said appeals had been made to the GTA.
He expressed the hope of an improved road network when a current private developer, who was putting up a guest house some metres from the site, started operating.
