CEO of Rock Gardens Eco-Resort Dr. Asaa Sumaila Mohammed says he is on a mission to develop and protect notable shrines in the Upper East Region.
Dr. Asaa argued that apart from the spiritual attribution to the shrine, it was the forefathers’ ingenious method of preserving nature and preventing issues of climate change.
He believes continuing this practice will not just help tackle climate change but also increase the tourism potentials of the region and the country as a whole.
“I told my mother I was coming to protect the Tingama (shrines) and then started at Rock Gardens and I have an NGO called the nature and people trust, very soon, you will see in me in that direction. I can’t be comfortable seeing the Kunta Tingan3 (shrine) die, that is my uncle’s friend and everyday I’m passing by, I get so angry that when I was so young that was a well preserved Tingan3 but it is dying today,” he stated in an interview on Dreamz FM.
“Because as a conservationist, I know our forefathers conserved those places for several purposes. Yes, for spirituality. People may say that and others will dispute it. I don’t want to go into the controversial aspect whether they are spiritual places or not. But all of us will agree to the fact that that place when you go there, there is shade. Our forefathers knew what they called conservation, they knew of climate change and all the things that we are facing today”.
It is for this reason that he has put up the Eco-Resort and is working with his partners to develop other places of cultural significance into go-to tourist attractions.
He wants the region to be intentional about projecting artefacts and cultural significant places to attract tourists and propel its development.
Dr. Asaa bemoaned the negative perception surrounding such artefacts and places.
Instead of developing and projecting them, he noted that residents who claimed to have been enlightened labelled them as host of evil spirits, scaring away potentials investors and tourists.
He, however, believes education and exposure will eliminate such negative perceptions.
Dr. Asaa further urged residents of the region to endeavour to take advantage of locally available resources to improve their living conditions.
