GHANA'S PRIDE IS OUR HERITAGE

The Pride of Protecting Our Endowed Heritage

Jonathan Nii Afrashang Tetteh-Cole +233 54 611 0811 norjgix@gmail.com

Does the following rings a bell?

1. The Greenwich Meridian Rock

2. The Cape Three Points

3. The Null Island

Ghana! – Formerly called Gold Coast have made many strives – ensuring that we meet the socio-cultural, economic, and sustainable growth and development goals since our existence as a country to date.

Global records also shows that both our human and natural resources have contributed immensely to ensuring sustainable socio-economic and environmental services to our global village which was coined by Marshall McLuhan in the 1960’s.

Wow! What a feeling of pride which is not only overwhelming and joyful but urges us to strive a complete restoration and protection of these culturally significant landscapes including the flora-and-fauna of our biodiversity or locations of heritage endowed us as a country?

Basically, first, do you know that the closest country to the center of the world where the Equator and the Greenwich Meridian meet at 611km from the coast of Tema into the Atlantic Ocean? The significant landscape to this effect which was known to be called Greenwich Meridian Rock which was located at Tema Harbor in Ghana, marking the Point where the Greenwich Meridian crosses the Equator need to be restored and protected for research and tourist attraction.

Second, do you know that there is a small peninsula and a fishing community in the Ahanta West Municipality in the Western Region of Ghana called the “Cap des Trois Pointes” or “Cape Three Points” which is at the southernmost tip of Ghana? This Point currently aid Maritime Navigation that ensure the safety of ship sailing along the coast of Ghana at the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean.

Third, do you know that Ghana is the closest country to a Point at the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean which is known as the Null Island or Null Value or Small Islet identified as the Null Island Buoy also known as the Soul Buoy located approximately 570km (354 miles) south of Cape Three Points in Ghana at the coordinates of 0ºN, 0ºE, where the prime meridian and the equator intersect. This Null Island Buoy is used to collect meteorological data such as water and air temperature, wind speed, and direction as part of the PIRATA system in the Atlantic Ocean. This is the Point that serves as a reference Point for geocoding errors in technological mapping systems globally?

The Portuguese and British Connections to the Cape Three Points

However, the “Cape Three Points” of Ghana also known as the “Cap des Trois Pointes” which was discovered by the Portuguese in 1471 is distinct and significant landforms protruding into the Atlantic Ocean in the Gulf of Guinea.

The Cape Three Points serves as a unique navigational landmark for sailors and explorers due to its prominent geographical features which later became a critical Point for Maritime Navigation and Trade. One major historical and cultural landmark of the Cape Three Points is the Cape Three Points Lighthouse built by the British in 1875 which currently aid Maritime Navigation that ensure the safety of ship sailing along the treacherous coast of Ghana and continue to be the focal point for fishing communities while its beauty continue to attract attention for tourism and conservation efforts. Due to these strives, the Cape Three Points is gaining prominence to its environmental significance and potential for eco-tourism – harboring diverse flora and fauna in order to promote and protect sustainable tourism and the environment as we continue to preserve our cultural heritage of the local communities.

Aside those privileges and advantages, the government of Ghana have also tap on the Western Region oil-endowed resource to develop the communities and the country at large. Therefore based on these historical and significance landscape and ecological importance, Ghana, for that matter the Ahanta West in the Western Region between the Prince Town and Dixcove will continue to attract tourists and researchers as it is proven to be the closest land to the Null Island. Now is the time to protect our pride – our endowed cultural heritage.Why not visit Ghana today?