Lying across the plains few kilometers from Asesewa, the district capital of Upper Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region and next to Sisiamang, a farming community is a vast acreage of rocks and stones never before seen in the country.
Many believe and have come to accept this spectacular natural stone formations of nature as just another unsung tourism potential in the district.
The Stone City is a 100-acre vast land of unique and beautifully designed rocks and stones of various designs, shapes, forms and sizes.
The unique designs of the rocks have earned them interesting names such as; ship, armoured car, stone bridge, king’s chair, king’s bed, etc.
The nature of the place, offers very little room for buildings and farming activities with the rocks covering the chunk of the land space.
Caretaker of the place, Honourable Rev. John T. Kwaku who oversees the entire area describes the space to GhanaWeb's Eastern Regional Correspondent, Michael Oberteye as: “Beautiful designs on a very vast land more than a hundred acres that you cannot put up any building except stones and it’s planned like a whole town, city and village with their entrances. It’s about different designs, different pictures, anything of the world you can imagine, you can see it like the designs of the stones.”
Asked how the place was discovered, the caretaker disclosed that his search for a farming land about sixteen years ago led him to the place.
“In the year 2006, I was looking for a farming land as a pastor from Asesewa so I was brought to this place and I got a land here so I decided to walk into the forest…so I later found out that this land belongs to some people so I contacted them through those who brought me here and when I got here I found these stones and said to them, no, we can use this place and develop it as a tourist attraction center,” revealed the man of God who doubles as a government appointee at the Upper Manya Krobo District Assembly, adding that further follow-ups to develop the place eventually began in 2014.
He was optimistic that the place was a huge potential to bring immense benefits to him and the landlords through revenue and lift the image of the district
The KLM Tourism Klub are tourism explorers that champion efforts towards attracting investors towards developing such places in the district into tourist sites.
The club’s coordinator, Mr. Teddy Divine Kofi said following their assessment of the tourism potentials of the stone city and their conviction that it holds values for investment, he held discussions with the renowned businessman, investor, and philanthropist, Apostle Dr Kwadwo Safo kantanka on the possible means to develop the place.
“I’ve contacted Dr. Emeritus Kantanka Safo and it happened that since we’re happy of what we’re coming to do, he asked me to come and explore,” he said.
He furthered that he contacted the landlords through the local assembly who readily agreed that indeed the place held potential for investment and creation of job opportunities as well as generation of revenue to the Assembly.
“We’re coming to prepare the area so that it’ll look nice for attraction,” said the tourism explorer. Explaining the uniqueness of the stones, Mr. Divine Kofi noted: “One way or the other you could see that the rocks are here but if you compare to other places you can’t see what is here (at those places) because the stones have been created in their own image to the extent that you can see different patterns, the way they are such that when you go round you can’t get.”
He furthered that the suggested name of the facility upon completion would be ‘African Stone City’ to serve as a preferred tourist destination in Africa to foreigners who desire to visit the continent.
He urged the general public to visit the place to experience its uniqueness.
District Chief Executive (DCE) for Upper Manya Krobo, Honourable Joe Sam when contacted disclosed that the Assembly had plans of developing the place and therefore had plans of allocating parts of its 2023 budget towards giving the place a face lift.
“The Assembly had a plan for developing this place for tourist attraction. We have made a budget for it in next year’s budget so that we can put up some sheds and summer huts,” said the Assembly chief who added that general shelter facilities for visitors to the place would be put up.
The vast nature of the place, he added meant the place could not be developed within a short time, compelling him to appeal to various organizations for support to give the place the necessary tourist touch. He said, “The place is very big and that means we cannot develop it within a year so we’ve made it a five to ten-year development plan. We are looking for investors to come and develop the place.”
Mr. Joe Sam opined that holding regular occasions at the venue would help attract patrons to witness what nature has to offer.
Describing the uniqueness of the stones, he boasted: “When you go through the whole country, even in Africa, you can’t find this type of stones anywhere except in Upper Manya Sisiamang stone city.”
According to him, discussions on collaborations were also underway with Krobos in the diaspora to develop the place, adding that works by the Assembly should begin by early 2023.
The long term plan includes putting up hotels and swimming pools and the extension of electricity to the place and water supply as well as shelters.
Whether for their shape, components, location or beautiful surroundings, viewing Sisiamang’s incredible rock formations at its Stone City is breathtaking and a must visit.
Eastern Regional Director of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Mr. Frederick Adjei-Rudolph in a previous interview with GhanaWeb on the status of tourism potentials in the region said the Authority was not directly responsible for the development of tourism potentials in the region. He noted: “Two things we can do are try and look for investors to develop it or we collaborate with the district assembly in which the attraction is and the owners and come out with an MoU for its development.”
