The Sekyere Kumawu District Assembly is prioritizing tourism development and promotion as well as investment in the Planting for Exports and Rural Development (PERD) to boost socio-economic development of the area.

Mr Samuel Addai Agyekum, the District Chief Executive, said harnessing the potentials of tourism and PERD was the surest way to boost economic activities to improve incomes and the living conditions of the people.

He told the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of the maiden town hall meeting of the district at Kumawu that the district had rich history and monumental sites which needed to be exploited for the benefit of the people.

Mr Agyekum mentioned the legendary Tweneboah Kodua, who offered himself for sacrifice to restore the Asante Kingdom and Dwenti, the chief of Bodomase, who played significant role in the Asante history and said such notable names were going to be exploited to open up the area and generate income for the people.

The essence of the town hall meeting, he said was to create a platform for all stakeholders and people in the District to assess and analyze the performance of the District Assembly over the years, and identify some of the shortfalls for improvement.

It was also to present to the people, government policies, projects, and programmes executed so far, successes and challenges encountered, and also seek suggestions and strategies for redress and sustain the gains.

Additionally, it was to promote accountability, transparency and inclusiveness in local governance at all levels.
He said the Assembly in collaboration with the Forestry Commission was developing the Temante Waterfalls in the District, into an ultra-modern tourist facility.
Mr Agyekum said the waterfall, which had already began operations would have facilities such as cafeteria, motels, wash and changing rooms, children’s playing ground, mounting climbing site, car park as well as sporting facilities such as volleyball pitches.

Already the access road to the site had been reshaped with wooden bridges to make it easy for people to travel to the site.

Touching on the PERD, Mr. Agyekum said a total of 475,000 cashew seedlings had been distributed free of charge to over 870 farmers to plant in the district between 2018 and 2020 planting season.

Three thousand Pawpaw seedlings (3000) had also been distributed to interested farmers through their chiefs and assembly members in their communities and electoral areas for cultivation.

The DCE said a total of 130 bags of rice seeds covering about 100 acres of land have been distributed to interested rice farmers in the area, at a subsidized price.

Mr Agyekum said the objective was to change the cultivation of the traditional crops and encourage the planting of cash crops to boost incomes of farmers.

He said over 120 hectares of tomatoes and maize farms had been cultivated under the Planting for Food and Jobs (PfJ).

Two warehouse projects at Wonoo and Temante communities were at 80 percent complete, adding that a Ghana Buffer Stock Company project at Abena-Ato community, was under construction to address the challenges of post-harvest losses in the area and enhance food storage and security in the country.