Ghanaian Pilot, Jonathan Quaye has confidently flown passengers from Odweanoma Paragliding site in Atibie in the Kwahu South Municipality of the Eastern Region.
The Ghanaian pilot became the first man from Ghana to fly a foreign passenger.
He was able to fly from the Paragliding site, enroute Atibie, Obomeng, Mpraeso and Abetifi before making a land at the Nkawkaw Sports Stadium in Kwahu West.
His colleagues, numbering six, all made up of foreign pilots also made good take-off and landed safely at the Stadium as well.
This year, the Ghana Tourism Authority charged an amount of one thousand Ghana cedis (¢1,000) per head of a passenger.
The paragliders aside Ghanaian included Blake Pelton, Chuck Smith, and Ed Stein from USA, Okada Naohisa from Japan, Eduardo Reategui from Peru, and Hagen Muhlich from Germany.
Despite what people describe as ‘outrageous’ fee, the Authority was able to make significant high turn- out this time.
At some point, the activity was quite threatened by the high wind but pilots maintained their grounds and ensure the safety of their passengers while Jonathan Quaye urged people to allay fears and take part in subsequent events.
Mr. Seth Kwame Acheampong, the Eastern Regional Minister also admonished patrons to adopt guidelines extended to them by their pilots to ensure their safety while in the air.
He said, the pilots are well trained and experienced and are capable of using their respective experiences to overturn any unforseen incidence.
Mr. Andrew Egyapa Mercer, Minister Designate for Tourism, Arts, and Culture who represented the President officially launched this year’s Kwahu Paragliding Festival.
He added that the Ministry, the Ghana Tourism Authority and its partners remain committed to ensuring the annual Paragliding Festival in Kwahu emphasizing on the need to always maintain the festival due to its extensive revenue generation locus to the country.
The Chief Executive Officer for the Ghana Tourism Authority Kwasi Agyemang acknowledged the face-lift given to the Paragliding site thereby providing more first hand safety to patrons and also making a need – to – be visit tourist site.
