By Cecil MENSAH
Work on the multi-million Dollars Marine Drive project to boost the tourism sector of the economy has begun in spite of the initial hitches that characterized the commencement of the project some years ago.
Even though the project has commenced in earnest, the over three thousand artisans at the Arts Centre area of Accra have petitioned the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to be allowed to purchase parts of the land meant for the project to build a craft village.
The Spokesperson for the artisans John Donkor told Business Day that they are waiting for a response to the petition they sent to the president over their relocation from the area.
Business Day can report work has commenced at the stretch of land behind the Black Stars Square at Osu, a suburb in Accra.
The area behind the square for the celebration of national parade among others is buzzing with construction activities.
The Marine Drive project owned by Togbui Afede, a Member of the Council State as well president of the National House of Chiefs is rolling after being heavily frustrated.
The Marine Drive project, Business Day learnt went to Cabinet nine times during the reign of the Late President John Evans Atta-Mills and the immediate past President John Mahama.
The project faced some stiff opposition from the members of the Ga-Dangbe Council as well as some Ga Chiefs in the Greater Accra Region.
The contractor on site; Attachy Constructions Limited has moved scores of heavy duty equipment to the site about three hundred metres away from the former seat of government, Christianborg Castle.
The activity of the contractor has led to some women also taking advantage of the situation to sell food and other commodities for the workers at the site.
When Business Day visited the site it came to the fore that the contractor has started grading the large tract of land covering two hundred and forty (240) acres to make way for the construction of the high rise buildings as well as hotels to boost beach tourism in the country.
A foreman who refused to give his name told Business Day that work is ongoing on the tract of lands stretching from the mini- Military camp end of the Castle all the way to the Mensah- Guinea area otherwise known as Arts Centre, the hub for craft dealing in the Accra metropolis.
He told Business Day the project is likely to take not more than two years to complete.
According to him, massive works will start by the end of the year where many workers would be recruited.
He explained that because the project is at the beach there is need for special materials for the construction of the high rise buildings.
According to him, expertise in the field of welding, steel bending, masons, tile layers will be needed which will lead to the creation of massive jobs in the area.
He said looking the levels of work to be done on the project there will be the need for more contractors on site.
He said the project spanning from the Caste area not far from Asomdwe Park, the burial grounds of the late president John Evans Atta-Mills all the way to the Arts centre area is expected to create hundreds of jobs when completed.
The Accra Marine Drive Investment project has Business Day has learnt forms part of the Akufo-Addo government’s plan to develop Ghana’s tourism sector to meet international standards.
The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, made this known when he presented the 2017 budget statement and economic policy in Parliament on Thursday, March 2, 2017.
Speaking on the tourism and creative arts industry, Mr. Ofori Atta said that “in 2017, the governments will kick-start the Accra Marine Drive tourism investment project covering over 240 acres of land from the Osu Christianborg Castle to the Arts Centre area in the Greater Accra Region.
This he said, will transform the area into a tourism enclave that will create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth.
Mr. Ofori- Atta also noted that, the “tourism and the creative arts industry is one of the underdeveloped sectors in our country, despite the immense growth potential and opportunities for job creation.
When developed, the sector can positively impact the lives of many Ghanaians, communities and small enterprises in our country, providing needed jobs for our teeming unemployed youth.
