By: Alexander Nyarko
The Coordinator of “Miss Centre of the world, Ghana” has asked government to speed up efforts to develop tourism potentials in the nation since it holds prospects for the development of the nation.
With particular reference to Tema, Mr. Robert Amiteye indicates that government stands a chance of bringing in a lot of revenue and also increasing employment if government turns her attention towards this sector, observing that, “the more we wait, the more we lose.”
Mr. Amiteye made this call on Saturday at Tema during the fifth leg of the Domestic Tourism Agenda tour called ‘The Train Party’ which engaged over four hundred pupils from St. Peter’s Basic School, Tema Newtown, to experience landmarks in Tema.
In an interview with GBC online at the sidelines of the event, Mr. Amiteye observed that Tema dwelt on a unique location in the world, being the closest city to the center of the world, therefore developing the landmarks in the city was sure to bring in a lot of tourists.
In recounting the blessing of this city, Mr. Amiteye observed that the Tema port is the port at the centre of the world which was enough reason why people would want to come from all over the world to see. Then he talked about the Meridian Rock on which the first president of Ghana was said to have sat severally to meditate.
He also told of how the Meridian Tree, which served as a deity for the people of Tema Newtown, was a tourist attraction due to its proximity to the Greenwich Meridian line, not forgetting the Coconut Avenue which held a lot of prospects for being developed into a tourist site for relaxation and entertainment.
He again indicated how efforts were being made by the Presbyterian Church to fully develop the Greenwich Meridian Church in Tema, a facility that sat right on the Greenwich line and could attract a lot of persons who would want to pray at the closest spot to the centre of the world.
Mr. Amiteye however bemoaned the extent to which the nation has allowed the Chemu lagoon to deteriorate with aquatic life dying off due to the constant disposal of industrial waste into the water body. Then he recounted how Ghanaians have missed a great opportunity in the Meridian Hotel which could have attracted thousands of tourists due to its potential as the closest hotel to the centre of the world.
The Tema Party on the Train, gave the pupils the opportunity to walk on the Meridian bridge at the Tema Harbor railway station which is very close to the Greenwich Meridian. The children were made to experience this rail because of its significance, being the only railway line the Greenwich Meridian crossed before it met the Equator.
Then the pupils had an overview of the Tema Port from a hill which Mr. Amiteye suggested could be developed into a harbor view where visitors could relax and take in the breeze from the sea whilst they enjoyed the beautiful scenery the port provided.
Tema is adjudged the closest city to the centre of the world because its location on the longitude zero degree and for the fact that it is the closest spot to the Null Island, the place where the longitude zero degrees meets the equator. As such, its significance to tourism cannot be underestimated, Mr. Amiteye indicates.
The exercise was undertaken with assistance from the Tema Metropolitan Assembly and the Tema Regional Office of the Ghana Tourism Authority, and the occasion was graced by Miss Tourism Ghana, among others.
