Electronic toll system at tourist sites necessary – Minister

Mrs Catherine Afeku, Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, has appealed to local authorities at tourist sites to support the new toll system for a common good.

She said the new system allowed for transparency and would help ensure that revenue generated was well distributed to develop the sites for the benefit of the communities.

Mrs Afeku said this when she inspected the newly installed electronic toll system at the gates of Wli Waterfall in the Hohoe Municipality on Monday, during which she cut sod for the construction of a pavilion, toilet facilities and changing rooms for the site.

She told custodians of the Falls that Government’s efforts at revamping the tourism sector included ensuring that revenue generated was invested in the development of the sites, and asked them to create a management committee and sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry for proper administration.

“Government will not interfere in how the revenue is distributed. The money is for you and we only want to ensure that part of it is invested back into the sites,” Mrs Afeku said.

She said the systems had been hitched unto mobile network portals for easy tracking, and ordered an end to the conventional way of ticketing.

Mrs Afeku charged stakeholders to ensure cleanliness at the site and surrounding communities towards encouraging more visits, and promised to lobby stakeholders for the rehabilitation of roads leading up to the sites.

Mr Henry Anyormi, speaking on behalf of the chiefs of Wli, welcomed the Ministry’s interventions, and promised that they will comply with the directives.

Mr Teddy Ofori, Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive, said the Assembly had formed a tourism management committee to ensure sites in the Municipality received the necessary support.

An estimated 1000 people were recorded as visiting the Falls on Monday.

Source: GNA