The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has celebrated this year’s Emancipation Day with a call on the public to take care of the environment.
The activity which took place at the Pikworo Slave Camp in the Nania community of the Kassena-Nankana West district witnessed tree planting under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture in collaboration with the assemblies and the Forestry Commission.
The authority planted about 80 tree species namely, Mahogany, Teak, Terminalia ivorensis, Cassia and Pawpaw.
Upper East Regional Director of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Henry Yeledour, explained that, the tree planting exercise was necessary to serve as a memorial that “there are times we could not go about our normal activities due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is also to care for the environment”.
Mr. Yeledour, entreated community members to take proper care of the trees to help beautify the Pikworo Slave Camp and give shade to tourists while preserving the environment.
This year’s celebration is under the theme, ‘Emancipation, our Heritage our Strength” and a sub-theme: Leveraging our Resilience: Black lives matter”.
The Emancipation Day which is commemorated every year seeks to remind Ghanaians of the obnoxious slave trade that happened some four hundred years ago.
Mr. Yeledour, stated that, the choice of the Pikworo Slave Camp for the venue of the regional celebration is because of the history to the horrible slave trade that took place there.
“We are told that Paga was one of the main camps in the Upper East Region. From here the captives were transferred to Salaga, about 150km south of Paga, where there was a major slave trade market.”
Interim Manager of the Pikworo Slave Camp, Aaron Azumah, on behalf of the Nania community thanked the Ghana Tourism Authority for choosing the Pikworo Slave Camp for the celebration of the Emancipation Day.
Mr. Azumah, also acknowledged the role the media plays in “projecting to the entire world as far as tourism is concern.”
The 1km square size of the Pikworo Slave Camp meant for salve trade was established according to history in 1704 and was abolished in 1845.
Source: |A1radioonline.com|101.1MHZ|Joshua Asaah|Ghana
