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A year after he cut the sod to kick off construction on the project, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, commissioned the refurbished and modernized Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park.
The Park, which was erected in 1991 and made public in 1992 during the administration of the late Jerry John Rawlings, the first President of the 4th Republic, had not had any renovations since that time, causing the building to significantly deteriorate.
Because of this, President Akufo-Addo gave Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, the order to temporarily close it so that renovations could be done.
Speaking to the crowd during the ceremony, the President noted that the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park had not only undergone renovations but had also undergone a complete modernization to befit its status as the final resting place of the justly celebrated Kwame Nkrumah, who had guided us to independence in 1957 and served as Ghana’s first president.
“The Park now has facilities including a presidential library, receptive facility, mini-amphitheater, restaurant, freedom wall, and a digitalised payment and access system. The mausoleum has also been fully refurbished, with the tombstone upgraded, and the museum expanded with an audiovisual tunnel. There is also an upgraded VVIP lounge, expanded recreational area, a modernized gift shop, and a fountain area with synchronised audiovisuals, the first of its kind in West Africa,” he said.
The President continued, “The thirty million cedi (GH¢30million) modernised Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park is in line with plans by Government to make the Park one of the best tourism and heritage attractions in West Africa. As the outstanding pan-Africanist of his generation, the burial site of Dr. Nkrumah must be appropriate to his status and exceptional contribution to the liberation of Africa from colonialism and imperialism.”
Before the refurbishment, the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park saw about 90,000 visitors a year; presently, that number is anticipated to reach over one million.
In order to accomplish the goal of one million local and foreign visitors to the Park, the President charged the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture and its agencies with developing efficient marketing and promotional initiatives.
The President stated that the government is constructing museums and other tourist attractions in various sections of the country as part of efforts to make Ghana the tourism capital of West Africa.
“The construction of a Museum and Heroes Park for the “Big Six”, a Memorial Park in Cape Coast for the Aborigines, a Memorial Enclave in Tamale for the founders of the erstwhile Northern People’s Party to symbolise their participation in the drive for national independence, and the completion of ongoing works at the Bonwire Museum and the Yaa Asantewaa Museum both in Ejisu, are in the offing.
You will recall also that the National Museum had to be closed down for seven years from 2015 to 2022 due to lack of maintenance. It was in my time, in 2022, that the renovation of the museum was completed,” he added.
In seeking to delight visitors who throng our tourist attractions, President Akufo-Addo noted that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the Ghana Tourism Authority have embarked on product improvement and customer service orientation for operators in the hospitality and tourism value chain.
To this end, the President indicated that some six thousand (6,000) frontline operators will be imbibed with the necessary customer care skills and competencies over the course of the next one year to enable them handle both domestic and international tourists.
Ghana, the President reiterated, has the potential to be the tourism and business hub of West Africa for several reasons.
“We are host of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat; we have political stability and proven democratic credentials; and we have a rich and diverse culture. The Kotoka International Airport in Accra is the best airport in West Africa, with easy connectivity to many countries, whilst Ghana is the home of modern pan-Africanism and global African diasporan activities. Above all, we are a warm and hospitable people,” he said.
He reiterated Government’s determination to maintain Ghana’s ranking as the number one country in the Region on the West African Digital Competitiveness Index so as to support service delivery, and enhance our regional competitiveness.
“The improvement in our road networks and the construction of several interchanges across the country are expected to ease travel, and open up tourist destinations. Also, the completion of airports in Kumasi, Tamale and Ho will boost further domestic and international tourism, thereby creating jobs for people, the President added.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
