According to Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, Minister for Arts, Tourism, and Culture, arts, culture, and heritage are resources for creativity, skills, and abilities that have the ability to generate wealth and prosperity.
At the sod cutting ceremony for the renovation and upgrading of Accra's Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park (KNMP), the speaker made this statement.
He said that the Park's present condition required its closure so it could be thoroughly repaired and modernised and generate income.
He was thrilled that the government had allocated USD $3 million for the repairs, which should be finished in nine months.
According to the Minister, the renovations would feature a presidential library, a new training centre, a restaurant, a VVIP lounge, and an event space. They would be paid for by the World Bank Tourism Development Project. The Park, according to the Minister, would eventually create 50 more direct employment.
The first president of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, as well as other nation-builders Edward Akuffo-Addo, Arko Adjei, Obetsebi Lamptey, William Ofori-Atta, and J.B. Danquah would be honoured by the park, he added.
By further concretizing the Pan-African Triangular Centre, which was made up of the KNMP, WEB DU Bois Centre for Pan-Africanism, and the George Padmore Library, according to Dr. Awal, Ghana's position as the foremost centre of Pan-Africanism and diasporan studies would be cemented.
According to him, "all these achievements will contribute to the growth of both local and foreign tourism and enhance Ghana's reputation as an investment and trade destination."
Tourism, the arts, and culture, according to the minister, have the potential to make a substantial contribution to economic growth.
"Prolonged economic growth is necessary as a complement to the battle for Ghana's independence, for which Dr. Nkrumah and the other founding fathers sacrificed their lives. This will give Ghanaians access to quality employment, healthcare, and education."
Before COVID-19, the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park reportedly saw 98,000 visits annually on average. The Ministry projects that number to increase to 400,000 following the reconstruction.
The Minister stated that in order to boost commerce, the customer-focused approach needed to be strengthened, which required everyone involved in the tourist value chain to act in a customer-focused manner.
A happy guest, domestic or international, he claimed, "would not only return but also suggest the location to others."
While the yearly income from gold and cocoa was less than USD 4 billion, he said that the annual revenue from tourism and the creative industries might be more, so long as the attractions were packaged and promoted appropriately.
To improve additional tourist and heritage monuments, such as the Cape Coast and Elmina Castles, Mole Park, Shai Hills, and Kakum Park, the Ministry will shortly start their rehabilitation and modernisation.