Tourism Ministry to organise Biking Contest next year 29-05-10 The Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the Ghana Tourist Board, will beginning next year, institute an annual biking and hiking contest to the Gemi Mountain at Amedzofe in the Volta Region. This will take the form of the annual paragliding festival organized on the Kwahu Mountains. This according to Deputy Minister of Tourism Kobby Acheampong will help open up the area and put it on the world map of tourism. Mr. Kobby Acheampong Acheampong was speaking at the launch of the Avatime Gemi Otoga Eco-Tourism Society (AGOETOUSO) at Avatime on Saturday. Seven villages under the Avatime Traditional Area came together to form the Society in a bid to harness the tourism potential the area has, notably is the Gemi Mountain which is the second highest point in Ghana, with a serene environment. The Deputy Minister stressed on the need to protect the natural environment and help promote tourist attraction sites in the country which will also help in creating wealth and reducing poverty at the same time. Mr. Acheampong who has been made a patron of the society, tasked the executives of the society to liaise immediately with his Ministry for the necessary assistance in order to organize the biking and hiking contest successfully. He pledged his Ministry’s support to help build a receptive site in Avatime to promote tourism in the area. ‘To this end, the plan will be included in the Ministry’s budget for the year 2010 to be considered’, he announced. President of AGOETOUSO Samyy Akagbor noted that, the Avatime Gemi Otoga Eco-Tourism Soceity is the manifestation of the vision of the Paramount Chief for the Traditional Area, Osie Adjatekpor VII, during the one year celebration of his coronation, when he instituted the Tourism Committee as one of the nine committees for the development of Avatime Traditional Area. He noted that, the topography of Avatime coupled with its natural beauty of mountainous features, has made the area a unique tourist destination, receiving both expatriate and indigenous tourists over the years. Story: Jerry Tsatro Mordy/Asempa News.