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Kwahu goes frenzy …as revelers celebrate Easter at Paragliding Festival
A cross-section of chiefs seated during the opening of the Kwahu Easter Paragliding Festival
The Kwahu Township was thrown into a carnival mood when hundreds of tourists stormed the area to celebrate the 2024 Kwahu Easter Paragliding Festival that ended on Monday, April 1.
The four-day celebration which kicked off on Friday (Good Friday) attracted visitors from all corners of the country and beyond the country’s borders.
It was used to commemorate the Easter celebration of Christians.
The climax of the celebration was the paragliding session that saw a huge number of revelers queue for that lifetime experience flying across the mountainous Kwahu area.
With seasoned pilots including Jonathan Quaye from Ghana, Chuck Smith, Blake Pelton and Ed Stein from the USA, Okada Naohisa from Japan, Eduardo Reategui from Peru, and Hagan Muhlich from Germany in attendance, tourists were assured of a beautiful experience of having an aerial view of the Kwahu area topography.
A flight from the Odweanoma Mountain near Atibie in the Kwahu South Municipality of the Eastern region cost interested tourists GH¢1,000.
With a large crowd to applaud every move and skill displayed by the pilots, the tourists were flown beautifully across Mpraeso, Atibie, Obomeng and Abetifi mountains before landing safely at the Nkawkaw Sports Stadium.
One passenger and tourist, Abraham Smith told The Spectator he was glad to be part of the festival and revealed that he had a lot to tell family and friends about his exciting experience.
In his view, the festival was exciting and a lot of people must be told about it to also enjoy that experience of a lifetime.
Aside the paragliding and other fun activities, there was a boom in economic activities at the site as food, water and other vendors cashed in on the occasion.
One boiled egg seller, Akosua Antwi shared with The Spectator how her wares got sold up and had to rush home to get more to sell.
“I sold a crate of boiled eggs in no time and had to go home to prepare more for sale. This activity boosts sales and economic activities in the area. I wish the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) would sustain it and add other activities to explore the tourism potential in the area,” she added.
Opening the festival, the Minister-designate for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Andrew Egyapa Mercer recognised its significance and impact on the local economy of Kwahu and highlighted its contribution to revenue generation through employment creation for the Kwahu people.
He said the festival has also allowed for cultural heritage preservation and environmental assets, and has enhanced the appeal of Kwahu as a tourist destination, leading to an increase in the number of visitors and generate revenue for the local tourism industry.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GTA, Mr Akwasi Agyeman said the event has become the fulcrum for adventure and sightseeing activities that has attracted hundreds of tourists from all over the world to witness the paragliding festival since 2005.
“For instance, in 2016, we attracted 60 tourists and raised the peak to 248 in 2019 and since then, every year, the number keeps growing, thanks to the resilience of our pilots who have come in from all over the world and we acknowledge the work done by the community and assemblies as well.
He commended the Ministry of Roads and Highways for commencing the construction of the road leading to the paragliding sites and urged the contractor to expedite action and finish before the 2025 edition.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Seth Acheampong said the festival had become a hallmark of the region and has not only brought joy and excitement to all but also played a crucial role in boosting the tourism industry and contributed to the economic growth of the locals in the country.
Nana Kwadjo Boama, representative of the Chief of Kwahu Atibiehene, said the chiefs were excited about the event and its associated benefits and called on the authorities to develop the other tourist sites in the Kwahu enclave.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Kwahu Atibie
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GEXIM deepens relations with US EXIM Bank
A management team of the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) led by the Acting Chief Executive, Sylvester Mensah met with the leadership of the Export–Import Bank of the United States (US EXIM) on Wednesday April 23, 2025 in Washington DC, United States of America.
The Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM, Mr. James C. Cruse and Vice President, International Relations, Ms. Isabel Galdiz received the GEXIM delegation, which included Deputy CEO for Banking, Mr. Moses Klu Mensah and Head of International Cooperation, Mr. Jonathan Christopher Koney at the headquarters of US EXIM.
The meeting offered the GEXIM team the opportunity to share the strategic direction of the Bank in line with the resetting agenda of the President of the Republic, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama for the repositioning of the Ghanaian economy into an export-led one by providing the requisite investment to Ghanaian businesses.
Mr. James C. Cruse expressed US EXIM’s eagerness to deepen its existing relations with GEXIM and proposed the signing of a new Cooperative Framework Agreement following the expiration of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2019 to utilize US EXIM’s medium term loan guarantees to procure machinery by GEXIM for qualified Ghanaian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Mr.Sylvester Mensah thanked the Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM for hosting the GEXIM delegation and reaffirmed the Ghanaian government’s commitment to strengthening trade and investment between Ghana and its global partners for economic transformation of Ghana with GEXIM playing a pivotal role.
The two teams will be meeting on the sidelines of the 2025 US EXIM Annual Conference on 29th and April 30, 2025 to explore possible areas of collaboration and matching Ghanaian businesses to American companies. The meeting ended with an exchange of gifts.
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Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation –Pres.Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has expressed concern over the misuse of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) for personal financial gain by individuals in leadership positions.
Speaking during a meeting with Chief Executives of specified entities under the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA) on Thursday, March 13, the President directly attributed the dire state of SOEs to their leadership, accusing chief executives, management teams, and governing boards of prioritising personal enrichment over organisational efficiency.
He pointed to bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures as factors draining public funds while SOEs continue to rely on government bailouts.
“Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation by appointees. The chief executives, management, and boards of these enterprises are responsible for this situation. Some SOEs have become perennial loss-makers, draining public funds with bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures while relying on government bailouts as if entitled to them. Many of these entities are at their lowest point in the entire history of the Fourth Republic,” he said.
President Mahama further noted that many SOEs have been plagued by inefficiencies, corruption, and mismanagement, leading to consistent financial losses. He cited the 2023 State Ownership Report by the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), which highlighted systemic inefficiencies and wasteful expenditures within these entities.
He therefore reaffirmed his commitment to reforming under-performing SOEs and ensuring they serve national interests.
He warned that loss-making SOEs will no longer be tolerated and will either be merged, privatised, or closed.
“I will assess you based on your performance. If you do not align with the pace of the reset agenda, you may be asked to step aside. If that adds to the horror movie, so be it,” he added.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
