North East Region; diamond in rough

The North East Region can arguably be described as ‘a diamond in the rough’ with its numerous tourist sites.

Apart from serving as the country’s food basket, the newly created region is home to a plethora of scenic tourist attractions, ranging from landmarks, wildlife, hospitality to rich diverse culture.

Bordered on the north by the Upper East Region, east by the Eastern Ghana-Togo international border, south by the Northern Region and west by the Upper West Region, the region hosts festivals throughout the year, traditionally linked with good planting seasons or a good harvest.

However, the region’s potential as a tourism haven in the country and the sub-region is yet to be developed as it still largely remains untapped.

Regrettably, many of the sites are in a sorry state, crying for attention, while others have not been developed.

Kwame Nkrumah guest houses

Established by Ghana’s First President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, in the wake of the country’s independence to primarily serve some sort of resort, the two guest houses are located on the Karimenga hill top in the West Mamprusi Municipal and along the Nakpanduri Scarp in the Bunkpurugu/Nakpanduri District.

The facilities are two three-bedroom apartments, with a kitchen and washroom.

The serene, forest and mountainous atmosphere once provided a safe haven for the Former President and his family during his visits.

However, the facilities are now white elephants.

After the overthrow of Dr. Nkrumah in 1966, most of the projects have been were abandoned by successive governments.

The facilities had been left to rot, with weeds grown all over the premises. The facility at Karimenga hill top had been razed down by fire and the roofing sheets, wood and iron rods stolen.

But for the remains of the dilapidated structure, it would have been difficult to locate the once popular “Kwame Nkrumah guest house”.

Najeringa defence wall

Built in the mid-1700s by a legendary Mamprusi king to defend the capital of Nalerigu, the ruins of this wall still stand today.

Some remains of the Nalerigu defense wall at Nalerigu

Located by the roadside few metres from Nalerigu, the regional capital, the Najeringa, often called Nalerigu’s “Slave Defence Wall,” has lots of mysteries surrounding its establishment.

Made of mud and gravel, some historians claim that shea butter, honey, milk and pito (local beer) were the mixtures used as binding agents.

It was also built by forced labour, with anyone failing to take part in the construction executed and their corpses used in also building.

History had it that NaJeringa (Naa Gyɛriŋŋa), a Mamprusi king who reigned around 1740 - 1752 built the defensive wall to fortify the capital of Nalerigu due to civil wars and slave raids.

At some point after his enskinment in the mid-18th century, NaJeringa built the wall around the western side of Nalerigu which was about 11 feet high.

The mid-18th Century was the peak of the slave trade on West Africa’s coast, as raiders often came from the south to raid and kidnap civilians in the north, marching them to back to south to sell to the European and American slave merchants.

Gambaga escarpment

It rises 450 metres above sea level at the southward bend of the White Volta River and continues eastward into Togo.

Located at Nakpanduri in Bunkpurugu District of the North-East Region, the Gambaga Escarpment is the elevated northern boundary of the Volta Rover Basin and the eastern section of the granite plateaus of Wa and Mamprusi.

A view of the Gambaga Escarpment

To the south is another steep and narrow plateau, followed by a gradual descent to the surrounding land. Its beautiful steep erosional scarps reveal a composition of nearly horizontal sandstone.

On the peak of the escarpment, is an aerial view of a number of towns at far distances such as Bawku, Garu, Nalerigu, Gambaga and Bunkpurugu.

Aside from this magnificent view of the escarpment, it also have some great historical attractions that used to serve as a hidden place for the ancestors of the people of Mamprugu during wars.

It has water falls at the steep edge, where some youth of the area often cool off themselves.

A few metres away from the edge of the escarpment also lies the abandoned Kwame Nkrumah guest house.

It is believed to be one of the highest scarps with great historical features in the country which could be developed to generate huge revenue to the state.

Due to its undeveloped nature, currently, revellers who visit the area on a tour do not pay any fee. With the beautiful features of the site, it could be developed into paragliding and walkways to boast tourism in the region and improve on economic activities.

Zayaa Mosque-shrine

For a little fee, tourists can have a feel of the fascinating building located at Wulugu along the Walewale-Bolgatanga highway.

It is said to have been built by one Sheik Abdul-Karim who migrated to the area from Bawku in the Upper East Region some 70 years ago.

Zayaa Mosque-shrine at Wulugu

He claimed to have had a dream, in which the design of the building was revealed to him and when he went to the site the next day, he found a well as a sign that Allah had provided water for its construction.

As he built, he noticed that when he visited the area each morning, another level was miraculously added to what he had built the previous day. That, continued day after day until he completed the four-story mud building.

The building is regarded as sacred because Sheik Abdul-Karim claimed to have had another dream in which it was revealed to him that the place was holy for which reason, all were to remove their shoes before entering it.

Interestingly, some revelers collect the well water used for the construction of the building, which is believed to be directly from Mecca’s holy well (Zamzam well) and has the powers to bring good luck and healing.

White River Rapids

At the north of Gambaga in the East Mamprusi Municipality, the White Volta River is funneled through a rocky outcropping where its roar can be heard from afar.

The White Volta River is the primary source of Lake Volta, Ghana’s massive man-made lake in the south of the country.

Some revellers taking a hike at the White Volta River Rapids at Achenga

It is joined by the Red Volta River in the North East Region near Bongbini and by the Black Volta River in the Savannah Region.

The rapids found north of Gambaga are an incredible force of nature. For thousands of years, the river has carved its way through the rocks at this site.

Revelers hike from rock to explore the holes, pits and crevices created from the powerful forces of erosion. In some places, the rock is polished so smooth it is shiny and slick.

Also, on the river’s southern bank near the rapids is the small fishing settlement of Achenga. For a few cedis, revelers can hire a fisherman to take them out in a canoe downstream of the rapids to enjoy the river.

Tusugu cliff dwellings

Located at Tusugu near the Gambaga Escarpment, these mysterious and well-preserved remains of an ancient settlement discovered around 1961 by a British surveyor, who was contracted by the then newly founded Ghana to demarcate Ghana and Togo.

The structures are still preserved in pretty much the same state for over 55 years later.

Some of them are small granaries and others are over four metres high.

Inside the taller rooms is soot on the walls from smoke, as well as in some other places under the rock shelter.

Other interesting sites in the region are the Doves’ caves, Buyuori cave, Kpatiritinga Rock Art and Granaries, Tanfiok-Naamaa Rock Paintings, Gingana Mountain and Rock Art, and Ancient Koma Figurines.

Tourism potential

The tourism endowments of the North East enclave of the country can attract high tourist traffic to the area and the country at large.

The realisation of the benefits from the ‘diamond in the rough’, therefore, hinges on the proper development of the diverse tourism attractions, plentiful in the area, as well as harnessing and packaging the rich cultures exhibited in festivals and art forms for marketing and promotion.

In a recent interview with the Daily Graphic, the North East Regional Minister, Mr. Yidana Zakaria, said the region was endowered with huge tourism attractions which had a huge potential to generate revenue to the state and create jobs for the youth when properly developed.

“As a new region, we have a lot of beautiful historic features which are not developed and I believe that when they are properly developed, it will create a lot of jobs for the youth,” he said.

The reporter(right) interacting with Mr. Yidana Zakaria, North East Regional Minister

He, therefore, called on investors to consider investing in the area to boast tourism and open up the area.

The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, in a recent interaction in Tamale indicated that the government was committed to developing all major tourist sites across the country to help boost the tourism industry and accelerate national development

That, he said, would make the tourism sector the number one contributor to Ghana's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and create over 250,000 jobs annually for the teeming unemployed youth.

The tourism sector contributed nearly 1.9 billion US dollars to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

As a newly created region, with wide-ranging touristic assets, it is prudent that the development process leans on the tourism sector, which would leapfrog development and open up the rea.

Writer’s E-mail: [email protected]