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June 1, 2022. ACCRA: The Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture hopes to generate US$5 million by 2024. This is anticipated revenue for two million visitors to Ghana in the period based on the calculation that each tourist spends on the average $2,500.00 in the country when they visit. The Ministry’s target for 2022 is 1 million tourists as part of Destination Ghana and Beyond the Return campaigns.
Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Awal made this revelation today when the Executive body of the Pan African Heritage Museum (PAHM), led by its Executive Vice Chairman, Ladi Nylander, called on him. Discussions centered on the pillars of the Beyond the Return, and objectives, vision and agenda of the Pan African Heritage Museum (PAHM).
The delegation thanked the Minister for representing during the occasion of the Launch of the Digital Museum on May 5, 2022.
Prof Pashington Obeng, PAHM Executive Director, hoped the PAHM would be able to count on support and assistance from the Presidency and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. He said that the museum will not just be a place for people to come through and experience the artifacts and African relics but it will also be concerned about the local community involvement thereby creating jobs and employment. He assured the Minister that seminars and workshops will be organized in Senior High Schools, Universities, etc. across the country to empower the youth to create jobs and help them understand African culture, history and heritage.
In his remarks, the Minister Awal said culture defines us as a people and therefore he is personally inspired by the concept and brains behind the Pan African Heritage Museum. He noted that African Americans undertake trips to destinations where they can connect with their roots and history and therefore this is timely.
The Minister reiterated government’s commitment to creating jobs and employment through the private sector, lauding PAHM as one of such initiatives worthy of support.
He said the ministry is working assiduously to make tourism the number one contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). He noted that, the foundations of tourism are culture and heritage therefore, it is the resolve of the Ministry to support the private sector to push our Cultural Heritage across the length and breadth of the globe.
The PAHM delegation leader Ladi Nylander said the Museum is one of a kind in the world and the first. He noted that there are about 3,000 museums in Europe and only 200 in Africa. None of these has a digital version. He took the opportunity to invite the Hon. Minister and his Deputy to the launch of the second phase of the Digital Museum of the PAHM Scheduled for August 31st, 2022 which is earmarked as “Africa Day”.
Present at the meeting were the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku Mantey, the Chief Director of the Ministry, John Yao Agbeko, the Special Advisor to the Minister, Nana Sarfo Kantanka, the Executive Director, Ghana Musuems and Monuments Board (GMMB), Kingsley Ofosu Ntiamoah and the Deputy Head of Corporate Affairs, Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Kofi Atta Kakra Kusi.
The PAHM delegation included the Executive Vice Chairman Ladi Nylander and the Executive Director Prof. Pashington Obeng. Other members of the delegation were Dr. Sam Mensah, Nana Ama Yankah, Charles Eghan, Bobby Banson, Kofi Yankah and Kofi Karikari.