The Accra Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park's renovation and modernization project has started.
The $3 million project includes the construction of a new Presidential Library, a training centre, a new restaurant, and a VVIP lounge. It is anticipated to be finished in nine months. The park also has a music and light fountain to encourage nighttime visitors. Other amenities include an artistic freedom wall.
Under the Ghana Tourism Development Project, the World Bank donated funding for the repair. The park's terrible condition is a result of insufficient upkeep, despite the fact that it is meant to be a tourist destination.
The park was shut down by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture on May 27 for extensive renovations until further notice.
On April 3, 2022, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced that the government would spend about $25 million this year alone to upgrade some of the nation's iconic sites, such as the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. This announcement was made at the launch of Destination Ghana, one of the government's flagship projects in the tourism sector, in London, United Kingdom.
Background information
Ghana's first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, stood in the park, which was constructed in 1991 by the Jerry Rawlings-led Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) administration, flanked by members of the Convention People's Party (CPP) Kojo Botsio, Komla Agbeli Gbedemah, Archie Casely-Hayford, and Krobo Edusei, on March 6, 1957, before a crowd of supporters.
It contains priceless artefacts related to Ghana's independence as well as being the ultimate resting place of the former president and his wife, Fathia Nkrumah.
More employment
When the project is finished, it is anticipated to generate an extra 50 direct employment, according to Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, who turned the sod for the formal start of construction yesterday [July 19, 2022].
Additionally, he added, it will support the growth of both local and foreign tourism and raise the country's standing as an investment and trade destination.
He said that the creation of jobs and the promotion of tourism, the arts, and culture had great potential.
Additional Founders
According to Dr. Awal, the renovated park will honour Dr. Nkrumah's legacy as well as that of the other founding fathers of the nation, including Edward Akufo-Addo, Ako Adjei, Obetsebi-Lamptey, William Ofori-Atta, and Dr. J.B. Danquah.
The W.E.B. Du Bois Center for Pan-Africanism, the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, and the George Padmore Library would further solidify the Pan-African Triangular Centre, he stated, "consolidating Ghana's status as the main centre of Pan-Africanism and Diaspora studies."
In order for the park to open in time for the nation's anniversary of independence in March 2023, the minister promised that the construction will go quickly.
The expression and presentation of customs must no longer be the only focus of the arts, culture, and history. traditions and values that are passed down from one generation to the next, but which are also recognised as a potent collection of forces, tools, and creative abilities that have the capacity to produce riches and prosperity and lead to the realisation of economic power for the people," he added.
Visits
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, according to Dr. Awal, the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park was seeing an average of 98,000 visitors a year.
"After the renovation, we predict that the park will receive 400,000 more visitors than it does now.
This necessitates that we implement a comprehensive plan to advertise the park both locally and globally, he added.
According to him, the Year of Return, Beyond the Return, and Destination Ghana events helped Ghana become the preferred travel destination for African Diaspora and historical travellers.
He stated that it was predicted that the nation will receive over one million foreign arrivals this year, with a corresponding tourist receipt of over $2 billion, thanks to the relaxation of COVID-19 limitations and the restart of international travel.
He stated that in order for the nation to prosper, there needs to be an emphasis on customer service among all parties involved in the tourism value chain since "a satisfied visitor, whether local or foreign, would not only return again but will also urge others to visit."
Dr. Awal stated that there was an urgent need to diversify the export revenues since Ghana could not rely on the sale of cocoa and gold alone to fund national growth. He added that in this situation, tourism and the creative arts were helpful.
Financial activity
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the minister of information, stated that despite the country's many tourism attractions needing renovation, the government opted to do so with the help of the World Bank as a purposeful effort with a particular goal in mind.
"In Ghana, tourism ranks third in terms of economic activity. The third greatest component of our economy that guarantees that people acquire employment and earn cash is the tourism sector.
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