The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has called on COCOBOD and cocoa processing companies to establish an ultra-modern Cocoa Museum and Heritage Centre in the Western North Region. This proposed facility would preserve and showcase the history, heritage, technology, and human stories associated with cocoa production and processing in the region. According to the Western North Regional Director of the GTA, Michael Kpingbi, the museum could become an important educational and tourism attraction, drawing students, researchers, and visitors from across Ghana and beyond.
The Western North Region has significant tourism potential, with attractions including Bia National Park, the Big Tree at Enchi, Boinzan Waterfall, Adjoafua Pond, and Ancestral Cave, as well as the traditional pottery industry at Sefwi Tanoso. Mr. Kpingbi called for greater investment in tourism infrastructure and services to make these attractions more accessible and appealing to visitors. He also urged investors in the hospitality sector to develop facilities capable of hosting conferences, corporate events, weddings, and other major gatherings.
The Western North Regional Minister, Wilbert Petty Brentum, urged traditional leaders and communities to play a greater role in preserving the region's cultural heritage. He called for the history and traditions of communities to be properly documented and passed on to future generations. The Minister also stressed the need to protect forests and water bodies, which form part of the region's natural tourism assets.
The Director for Product Development and Investment at the GTA, Alexander Kwame Nketsia, urged the media to partner with the Authority to promote tourism attractions in Western North. He encouraged media organisations to visit tourist sites, produce content about them, and use their platforms to promote festivals, cultural activities, and other tourism-related programmes.
The 2026 Western North Regional Tourism Awards recognised businesses, individuals, and institutions for their contribution to the sector. Bia National Park won the Visitor Attraction award, while Francis Elluo, Principal Resource Guard at the park, was recognised as Site Guide. Other award winners included Media General's Mathew Ahiaveh, who received the Digital Tourism Icon award, and Uniik FM, Sefwi Wiawso, which won the Tourism-Oriented Media award.
The awards ceremony also honoured several individuals and businesses for their outstanding contributions to the tourism sector. Royalhome Comfort was named Most Compliant Tourism Enterprise of the Year, while Sikafoamatem Lodge received the Hotel Renewable Energy Investment of the Year award. Hannah Asor Brenyah of Hasbren Lodge was recognised as Woman Entrepreneur of the Year, and Elder Nana Ramus Kwofie, CEO of Queen Elizabeth Hotel, was honoured as Outstanding Tourism Personality of the Year.
With its forests, waterfalls, heritage sites, cultural traditions, and cocoa history, Western North has a range of tourism assets that could attract visitors beyond the region. The call for a Cocoa Museum and Heritage Centre, coupled with calls for investment, improved maintenance, and stronger promotion, adds to efforts to position Western North as a destination where nature, culture, history, and cocoa heritage come together to create a distinctive tourism experience.
Key points
- The Ghana Tourism Authority is calling for the establishment of an ultra-modern Cocoa Museum and Heritage Centre in the Western North Region.
- The proposed museum would preserve and showcase the history, heritage, technology, and human stories associated with cocoa production and processing in the region.
- The Western North Region has significant tourism potential, with various attractions and a growing hospitality sector.
