They were established to primarily serve as resting places and hideouts for Ghana’s first President, Dr.Kwame Nkrumah, in the wake of the struggle for independence and political upheaval.
Located on the Karimenga hilltop in the West Mamprusi Municipality and along the Nakpanduri Scarp in the Bunkpurugu/Nakpanduri District in the North East Region, the two guests houses which were built by the first President were strategically positioned in these areas for security reasons.
The serene forest and mountainous atmosphere also provided a safe haven for Dr. Nkrumah and his family during a visit.
However, the facilities, built decades ago in the North East Region which was then part of the Northern Region, have now become white elephants.
The reason for this phenomenon is not far-fetched since, after the overthrow of Dr. Nkrumah in 1966, most of the projects and the idea behind their establishment were abandoned by successive governments.
One of the guest houses was built on the peak of the Karimenga hills, near Wulugu along the Tamale/Bolgatanga highway, while the other was built on the edge of the Gambaga escarpment at Nakpanduri.
The facilities are two three-bedroom apartments with ancillary facilities -kitchen and washrooms attached.
When the Daily Graphic visited the areas, it observed that the facilities had been left to rot, with weeds grown all over the premises. The facility at Karimenga hilltop had been razed down by the fire and the roofing sheets, woods, and iron rods removed by unknown persons.
But for the remains of the dilapidated structure, it would be difficult for one to locate the once-popular “Kwame Nkrumah Guest House”.
The situation was, however, different at the Nakpanduri guest house as it was still partially in use. During our visit, it was observed that portions of the facility were in a bad shape with a leaking roof, whereas other portions of the building were in a good shape but had no electricity connected to it.
In an interview, a caretaker of the guest house at Nakpanduri, Mr. Duut Sakota, said: “I have been taking care of the facility since 2003 and during those days, visitors, both whites and blacks, were patronizing the facility but now because of its deplorable state they have stopped coming.”
According to him, in the past, “anytime revelers visited the escarpment they usually patronized the guest house but because the place is not properly renovated, people have stopped patronizing it.”
He said several reports made to the assembly for the renovation of the facility over the years had proved futile, adding that when the facility was in good shape visitors were charged between GH₡10 to GH₡20 per night, which was generating revenue for the assembly.
source: ReportGhana
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