Mr George Nkrumah Ansere, the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) Director, Tema Region, has said the Authority has identified seven points on the imaginary Greenwich Meridian line for tourism development.
Mr Ansere, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said even though it was an imaginary line, the GTA found it important to identify those points to be developed into attractive tourist sites.
He said those seven identified places gave the longitude zero degree reading when the compass was used, meaning that the line runs through them to the ocean to meet the equator, giving Tema the title: ‘Centre of the World’.
The seven areas include the premises of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Greenwich Congregation, the Tema Golf Club, Mankoadze, and the defunct Meridian Hotel area.
Mr Ansere disclosed that the Mankoadze area had been officially claimed by the GTA and earmarked as a tourism site, adding that plans were underway to officially have some coconut plantations there, along with other side attractions.
He explained that coconut plantations were preferred because it would allow the promotion of the health benefits of coconut.
Mr Ansere further said plans were also advanced to expand the PCG Greenwich Meridian site to attract local and foreign tourists, which would bring more job opportunities to the community.
The Meridian Tower of the Presbyterian Church on the Greenwich Meridian, Tema, has a plaque with the inscription: “To the glory of God”, which was unveiled on Monday, November 8, 1999, by His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
GNA
