Tema, Feb. 20, GNA – Dr Emmanuel Kofi Mbiah, a Maritime Consultant and Legal Practitioner, has called on the Government to develop Ghana’s coastline into economic ventures to spur growth.
He expressed disgust at the current state of the Greater Accra coastal stretch between Korle Gonno, especially the Korle Lagoon, through to Jamestown, which were prime areas and when developed would be good for tourism.
“This will be worth more than gold, if strategically transformed,” he said.
Dr Mbiah made the call at the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) forum in Tema, when he spoke on the potential of the blue economy to sustaining the country’s development.
He stated that government could take a cue from the Clarke Quay area in Singapore, which had been transformed into a holiday spot for tourists.
The Korle Lagoon could be dredged, cleaned, and rehabilitated to serve as alternative transportation for the citizenry and tourists.
Dr Mbiah, a former CEO of the Ghana Shippers Authority, noted that such a transformation would come with the ancillary industries such as boat repair, hospitality, and real estate.
Government’s tourism drive could receive a boost through the strategic transformation of the city’s coastline, he said.
A public-private partnership could be considered for that agenda, he said, and that whilst government provided the environment, the private sector could provide the capital, which it could recoup through the operations.
Proper costing could be done for the marine drive, for example, to know its value, and also analyse the synergies for holistic results.
