Bravo, Aburi Gardens for a wonderful work done
Last year, the Aburi Botanical Gardens in the Akuapem South Municipality in the Eastern Region was the most visited tourist centre in the country.
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It overtook the Kakum National Park which hosts the iconic canopy walkway for the first time.
Data from the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) show that the scenic gardens attracted 186,109 visitors between January to December 2022.
From 27,887 visitors in 2018, the number grew to 42,706 visitors in 2021 before reaching a historic feat of 186,109 tourists in 2022.
Last year’s figure represents 36.59 per cent more than the 136,256 visits recorded by Kakum National Park, which has been the most visited site in the country for several years.
It is refreshing to note that the botanical gardens improved on its fortunes from the seventh position in 2018 to become the most visited centre in 2022.
The Daily Graphic commends the new leadership at the Department of Parks and Gardens, an agency under the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, led by its Chief Horticultural Officer, Dr Daniel Kingsford Adams, for the feat.
It also commends the new Curator of the botanical gardens, Richard Fordson, and his team for a good work done.
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For the sake of history, the botanical gardens was established in 1890 through a combined effort of the Governor, William Brandford-Griffith, Basel missionaries and other actors.
Before the gardens was established, it was the site of a sanatorium built for government officials during the colonial era.
Today, we find it quite refreshing to see the gardens evolve into an attractive tourist site which generates revenue for the state and residents within the Akuapem South Municipality.
The tourist site welcomes visitors through the giant royal palm trees beautifully lined up along the access road into the garden which beckons one to a home of freshness.
It is further enhanced by the cold weather with its attendant fog which enhances its natural beauty.
It is also home to an iconic old helicopter used by the Governor of the Gold Coast, Sir Gordon Guggisberg, who ruled between 1919-1927.
It hosts many old structures which used to accommodate the colonial authorities in the Gold Coast era.
The botanical gardens does not only serve as a tourist centre for people, but also boasts rare species of biodiversity.
The species are important for aesthetic and scientific purposes.
Some of the trees also have medicinal properties .
However, the story is not all rosy.
Despite its potential, the iconic attraction centre is faced with several challenges, including low investments, inadequate material and human resources, insufficient essential infrastructure and unusual delays in the release of revenue retention from the government.
The facility can only boast of a four-seater toilet which is inadequate to serve the high number of patrons.
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Its guest house and chalets that are to provide visitors accommodation have been closed down for several years due to the deteriorating nature of the structures.
The Daily Graphic is aware of plans by the government to secure strategic investors to develop the facility into a modern eco-tourism centre with an inclusion of a canopy walkway and a modern hotel.
We need to take advantage of the growing interest to quicken the redevelopment processes to make the Aburi Botanical Gardens, which has a lot of historical significance, to shine again.
Redevelopment of this attraction centre will help create jobs and generate much revenue for the municipality and the government.
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We further call on the management and staff of the facility not to relent in their effort, but rather implement strategies that will help sustain and further grow the visits this year and beyond.
Kudos, once again, to Aburi Botanical Gardens!