Some internal tourists who visited the Shai-Hills Resource Reserve during the yuletide have commended the Forest Commission Staff for their professionalism in the discharge of their service.
The Reserve is located some 1.2 kilometers from the Army Recruit Training School on the Tema-Akosombo Highway in the Shai-Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region.
Ms Ama Mensah, an internal tourist, told the Ghana News Agency at the Reserve that the smiles with which the staff welcomed visitors and the patience in explaining the payment packages, among other things, were commendable.
She said most people had the perception that public servants often did not offer such customer-oriented services to clients.
Ms. Mensah was particularly happy at the way the tour guide, whose name she only got as Francisca, handled the tourists.
She said the guide had the patience to ensure that all the children were guided to climb the hill without fear.
“She was also willing to encourage them to ask all their mind-boggling questions about the animals, hills, and other things in the Reserve,” she said.
Miss Patricia Apenkro, another tourist, who visited the place with her family, said: “I love the tour guide’s delivery of service.”
“We had such a nice time and climbing the hill is an experience we would love to do again.”
Mr Simon Tetteh, a contractor and an international tourist, also commended the staff, saying: “I didn’t know this is how the Forest Commission works, their services are exceptional.”
He said the tour guide was so committed to the job that she had the patience to wait for tourists to take pictures before moving on and offering a helping hand to children to climb and descend the hill.
He suggested to the Management of the Reserve to advertise the services to attract more visitors as they had a lot to offer the country.
The Reserve was declared a Forest Reserve in 1962 with an area of 46.7 km2 (4,700ha; 18 sq. mi) and made a Resource Reserve on November 5, 1971 by a Legislative Instrument (L.I 710). It was extended to 51km2
In 1973.
According to oral history the Shai Hills Resource Reserve was the ancestral home of the Dangme-Shai people between AD1000 and 1892 who had migrated from Nigeria (Ile Ife) and settled at the current location of the reserve after settling at different areas such as Sayo, Manya Yo, Adwuku and Hieweyo in the Eastern Region.
