Castro saga slows visit to Ada – Aqua Safari and Peace Hotel Resorts cry

The disappearance of hiplife artiste, Theophilus Tagoe, aka Castro, and his female friend, Janet Bandu, at Azinzanya in Ada has caused a drop in the number of tourists who visit the Ada area.

For instance, while the two main sites, Aqua Safari and Peace Hotel resorts, recorded about 500 visitors weekly before the incident occurred, last weekend the two facilities recorded less than 10 visitors each.

Following the development, authorities responsible for the area have appealed to members of the public to not stop patronising the resorts and tourist sites in the area.

They said there were safety measures in place to guarantee the safety of visitors while the spirituality some people were trying hard to link the drowning incident to is baseless and untrue.

MP for Ada

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ada, Mrs Comfort Ghansah, who, together with the District Chief Executive (DCE) for  Ada East, Mr John Nurudeen Ahortor, conducted journalists round the area where Castro and Janet were said to have drowned on July 6, 2014, deplored the spirituality that had been linked to the disappearance of the two.

“If we attach all kinds of spirituality to it, it would not help us. This river is not a river god, it is the Volta River that passes through Ada and joins the sea at the estuary,” she said, adding that people should also stop portraying the resort area as a danger zone.

She said the people of Ada derived benefits from tourism in the area, as some tourists purchased tilapia and shrimps from the fisherfolk on their way back home after their visits.

Mrs Ghansah, who is also the Minister of State in charge of Social and Allied Institutions, said tourism needed to be projected positively since it had a positive effect on all segments of communities where tourism facilities were located.

She said there were clear guidelines on what to do when using the river for water sports, and, therefore, “people should adhere to the dos and don’ts when using the river.”

DCE

Mr Ahortor said the incident should not scare people away because the place was safe for visitors’ relaxation.

“If you come around, please visit our district tourist centre for trained and experienced personnel to help you and send you to wherever you want to go to. Don’t go round on your own,” he advised.

The Ada area, he said, among other things, boasted  ecotourism facilities including sites for turtles, crocodiles and birds.

To ensure safety, Mr Ahortor said, the assembly had trained tour guides who guided and guarded tourists round. He asked the resorts to install tracking devices to track people who used their water sport facilities.

Meanwhile, he has called on members of the public to stop declaring Castro and Janet dead since their bodies had not been found.

Water Sport

The General Manager of the Aqua Safari Resort, Mr Gerhard Peters, said water sport was boosting the country’s tourism, and urged both domestic and foreign tourists to continue patronising the resorts.

He stressed that safety was a key aspect of the resort’s activities, and that life-saving equipment was available, as well as safety measures that had to be followed.

Marine rescue station

Mr Peters said the resorts were in touch with the Marine Police to set up a marine rescue station in the area.

Castro and Janet had visited the resort in the company of other friends when they allegedly drowned around the estuary.

By  Emmanuel Bonney