Fun flying could be a major activity in Ghana - Jake

Accra, April 3, GNA - Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Tourism and Modernization of the Capital City, on Monday expressed the hope that fun flying would be a major activity in the country with the introduction of the Hang and Paragliding festival.

"Not only have we been inundated with requests from international pilots, who want to come to Ghana for the event but we have also been overwhelmed with enquiries by people here in Ghana, who are eager to train to fly as hang gliders and Para gliders, he said.

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey was speaking at the launch of the Second Kasapa Ghana Hang and Paragliding Festival, which will take place at Atibie and Nkawkaw in the Eastern Region during the Easter from April 14 to April 17 2006.

Paragliding is a sport patronized by people interested in flying. Competitors use light aircraft and the game is said to be one of the safest forms of aviation

He announced the establishment of an institute to train people in Hang Gliding and Paragliding, and expressed the hope that the second successive festival in Ghana would establish the safety and security of the sport and make it a regular activity.

"The success of this festival once again will certainly establish it as an annual event and make Ghana the only country in West Africa to host such a show and the third in Africa, after South Africa and Kenya." He said the event would demonstrate the concept of public-private participation and commended Kasapa, a cell phone network company, for sponsoring this year's programme.

"Another safe and successful conclusion of this festival will provide the desired impetus to our plan to make tourism the primary industry of Kwahu and package Kwahu Ridge as the 'honey moon capital of West Africa'."

He commended the Kwahu South District Assembly and said the success of the second event would again provide solid and tangible evidence of what a proactive and tourism sensitive District Assembly could achieve for its people.

Describing the event as a domestic tourism event, Mr Obetsebi-lamptey urged Ghanaians to participate in the event. The sport, which was developed from skydiving, started in the 1980s in France. Currently, there are about 60,000 Para gliders around the globe.

A pilot could glide from three to five hours with the highest record being 10 hours.