Ghana remains sage, security remains vigilant according to a statement issued by Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister of Information for the Republic of Ghana. This was in response to a shocking attack on two young Canadian women grabbed as they stepped from a taxi outside a golf club in Ghana. The Canadians cannot be considered tourists, but volunteers on a project in Ghana, and are still missing one week later and Canada embassy officers with local police are doing everything to find them.

Officials of Ghana Tourism Authority(GTA) backed by armed police officers have stormed and closed down a hotel in Kumasi (about 200km from Ghana) where the two kidnapped Canadian volunteers stayed before their abduction.

According to the GTA officials, the hotel which has no name situated at Ahodwo near the Golf Park operated without a license and lacked standard security system including CCTV cameras a situation that exposed clients to all forms of attacks.

Abusua FM’s Journalist Akwasi Bodua who covered the exercise reported that the said hotel has no name written on the building nor erected signboard and had been totally deserted at the time the team arrived.

A search for the owner of the hotel is underway.

In the meantime, Canada increased the travel advisory level for this West African Country. Ghana has a booming travel and tourism industry.

The minister in his statement continues to state: “The abduction raised fears of copycat Nigeria-style abductions and sparked warnings of a rising crime if security forces don’t crack down on the gangs responsible.

National Security Officials held a meeting on Monday at the Jubilee House in Accra. The meeting was to examine recent travel advisories about Ghana and intelligence reports on Ghana’s security situation

The meeting concluded that there is no actionable intelligence nor an imminent threat to Ghana. Ghana’s safety and risk profiles remain largely unchanged despite recent events in the sub-region.

The security apparatus of the nation continues to be retooled and vigilant to tackle any major security threat within the jurisdiction. Ghanaians, foreign residents, and visitors are advised to continue to go about their normal ways of life without feat but also encouraged to be security conscious as always. Potential visitors are equally advised that just like other western jurisdictions, the isolated incidents of crime should not and indeed does not undermine the general safety and hospitality for which Ghana is so well known for.”

The African Tourism Board offered assistance through their rapid response team under the leadership of Dr. Peter Tarlow, who was appointed by ATB as their tourism safety and security expert.