The Western Nzema Youth League has lamented the lack of a health center and healthcare professional in Nzulezo, despite the community being a UNESCO heritage site.

According to the group, Nzulezo which is a Quasi Heritage village Via Beyin in Western Nzema traditional Area is one of the most visited tourist destinations considering the revenue they are creating to aid National GDP. It stated that it is much dumbfounded to see Nzulezo without a healthcare facility.

The group noted that commuting to Beyin and other adjoining communities to access healthcare is very tedious considering the means of transport, which is by water.

Additionally, it stated that the fact that September is declared tourism month by the Tourism authority and basic healthcare facility for emergency situations is unavailable puts the Authority in a poor light.

“We dare the Tourism Authority boss to come down from his comfort zone to confirm what we are saying. The promotions are good, but we need systems in basic amenities elevated. Beyin needs a Visa ATM machine station to aid tourist who need to purchase items and pay for service on impulse instances.”
Western Nzema Youth League

Furthermore, the group noted that it is very much aware of the efforts of the chief and Queen mother of the area to get this running. However, it explained that such move has fallen on deaf ears.

“We are also privy to the fact that no health officer has been posted to work permanently unless it’s a vaccination period. Misplaced priority and leadership problem might be the cause of this failure. The leadership of the secretariat and the Municipality who has a permanent rep being the MCE that runs the facility has totally failed and are only interested in taking money without recourse to the well-being of the community they exhibit for monetary gains. We need to be conscious to build our capacity on health, safety, environment and quality living considering the number of people who come around.”
Western Nzema Youth League

Prospects of Nzulezo in tourism

Moreover, the group indicated that Nzulezo has been in existence for over 400 years, and it’s a unique stilt village that one can’t see anywhere in the world. Among other things, the group revealed that it covers forest vegetation, and its history, way of life, housing construction, religion, customs and food is so unique and a mystery.

Owing to this, the league explained that basic healthcare is a must considering the trends of the 21century.

“We need to wake up as a nation and improve our tourism destination. The community and the youth are ready to mobilize raffia for such construction. What we need is consumables in healthcare and a healthcare professional to man the facilities for our people to have hope.
“Because now, there is no hope when someone falls sick and cannot afford the services of outboard motor transportation on the river, we can all imagine what will happen. Let’s work to make this happen. Ghana gas and co can adopt this as an offset project to give Nzulezo that need.”
Western Nzema Youth League

The League highlighted that its quest to help the municipality and the nation as a whole is faced with self-interest and absolute disregard to localizing various activities for wealth creation. For instance, it recounted that two months ago, the sensational heritage site was flooded.

“Imagine there was an emergency outbreak. We need to be conversant with some of these things as a nation. We can say on authority that, a tourist who enters the shores of Ghana is privy ro Nzulezo and the Meanda Crocodile Pond around Nglekazo Siliku area on the Amanzule River.”
Western Nzema Youth League

The group weighing the challenges in the community, appealed to the Tourism Authority, various embassies with interest in the Western Nzema areas like the Swiss, Italian, German and the Norwegian Consulates to come to the community’s aid in getting clinic for the people of Nzulezo which doubles as a UNESCO heritage site.

“We are humbly appealing to your humble outfit to help us get a befitting clinic so our people domiciled on the stilt can have better health care. We hope our request will touch well-wishers to give Nzulezo a standard clinic.”
Western Nzema Youth League