By Francis Blankson / Deborah Naa Aku Allotey
Tema, May 12, GNA — The Tema Eco-Tourism Centre has honoured WOI Joseph Ashitey Hammond (Retired), a veteran of the Second World War, with a museum to commemorate his centenary birthday celebration.
The museum, located on the premises of the Eco-Tourism Centre in Tema Community One, has pictures of the pre-independence and post-independence activities, colonial rule, pre-independence artefacts, and some minerals such as bauxite and manganese.
Mr. Sefa Broni, the Chief Executive Officer of Tema Eco-Tourism Centre, stated that the museum was to honour the immense contribution of the veteran to the military and to the development of the country in different ways.
Mr. Broni stated that it was also to preserve the rich history of the country and provide residents of Tema and its environs the opportunity to gain firsthand information about colonialism, pre-independence, and the independence era as well as have a feel of Ghana’s mineral resources and vegetation.
He noted that the centre’s main objective was to protect and preserve the environment for current and future generations, adding that it was their vision to make the museum a preferred tourism destination globally by expanding the facilities soon.
He said they would organise exhibitions and funfairs to get people to visit the museum, adding that they hoped to also acquire the currencies of every country in the world, world minerals and over 20,000 antiques and artefacts to display in it.
Mr. Broni said the centre has four cash crops located on the premises: cocoa, coffee, para rubber and shea trees, which have a lot of socio-economic benefits.
He added that the entry fee to the museum is GHS10.00 for adults and GHS2.00 for schoolchildren, adding that they want the centre to serve as a learning and research place for people, especially schoolchildren.
He said he would be working with the relevant institutions to ensure that the facility was preserved to derive its purpose.
Mr. Broni assured the community that he will be watchful to prevent stray animals from entering the centre to avoid disruption by consulting the wildlife division.
WOI Joseph Ashitey Hammond (Rtd) expressed profound gratitude to God and the centre for the honour, stating that it would serve as a lasting legacy for future generations.
He enlightened the guests on insights into Ghana’s history and encouraged them to learn from the country’s pre-independence political leaders.
He planted a coffee plant to mark the day of inauguration of the museum, which he named “Ashitey Coffee”, stating that “My grandfather was the Ga chief and a cocoa buyer. He established a coffee factory at Osu, and I want to continue the family tradition.”
Rev. Father John Brenya of Good Shepherd Catholic Church, Tema Community Two, who dedicated the facility, said forests and trees were divine gifts from God, urging the public to practice afforestation and preserve God’s nature.
“We should avoid indiscriminate cutting down of trees and maintain what we came to meet on earth and also plant more trees,” he said.
GNA
LS/BM