Make Ghana A True Heritage Destination – Tourism Ministry Charged

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has asked the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Arts as well as the Ghana Tourism Authority to build a lasting legacy which will make Ghana a true heritage pilgrimage destination for Africans living in the diaspora.

He made the call in a statement read on his behalf by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, at the 15th edition of the Ghana Tourism Awards on Friday, March 22, 2019.

According to the president, “the pan-African legacy of our early leaders has never been in doubt and I have tasked the ministry and the Tourism Authority to build on this legacy and make Ghana a true heritage pilgrimage destination for our brothers and sisters from the diaspora.”

The President further noted that the tourism sector under his government is receiving the needed push with the ministry elevated to cabinet status.

He described the tourism sector as one of the most important sectors of the Ghanaian economy and spoke about the interventions his administration has put in place to further develop the sector.

He said, “Under my watch, the tourism sector is receiving the needed push with the elevation of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to cabinet status. The Tourism Authority has reported gains and growth across several indices – visitor arrivals, per capital spend of visitors, number of establishments, number of tourist’s facilities etc since we assumed the reins of government.”

He added that the ministry is improving several tourist sites such as the Axim Fort St. Antonio project, Assin Manso Slave River project, Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Farm, Bunso Aboretrem, Kintampo waterfalls and the Elmina Heritage Bay project.

The Minister-designate for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Mrs Barbara Oteng-Gyasi recently also disclosed plans to establish a gold museum in the Western Region to attract more tourists to the country.

According to Mrs Oteng-Gyasi, the tourism industry is a multi-billion industry with immense potential to contribute more to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and if well-managed it could create jobs, thus reducing the youth unemployment in the country.

The former deputy minister of lands and natural resources further indicated that, the creative arts industry was neglected, hence the intention of her government to deal with issues concerning the sector for better prospects.