Veteran Nigerian actor and musician Harry B Anyanwu has praised President John Dramani Mahama, describing him as the best president in Africa and encouraging other African leaders to learn from his leadership.

Harry B made the comments while in Ghana to film Kwadwo Nkansah LilWin’s upcoming movie, A Journey to Africa (Nzulezu).

The actor was speaking during filming at Nzulezu in Ghana’s Western Region, where he is working alongside a number of Ghanaian and Nigerian actors on the cross-border movie project.

Harry B said he believed Mahama was doing what other African leaders should be doing and urged them to follow his example.

“Mahama is the best in Africa. He is doing what other presidents are supposed to do; let them copy him; the man is good.”

His comments came as several prominent Nollywood actors joined the production in Ghana.

The cast includes veteran Nigerian actors Kanayo O. Kanayo, Patience Ozokwo, Mike Ezuruonye, Charles Awurum, Zubby Michael, Destiny Etiko and Harry B Anyanwu.

The production is being led by LilWin and is expected to bring together talents from both Ghana and Nigeria while showcasing Ghanaian locations to audiences beyond the country.

During the filming, LilWin also spoke about the possibility of the Nigerian cast meeting President Mahama.

He told the actors that he had considered arranging a visit to Jubilee House, the official seat of Ghana’s presidency, but the distance between Nzulezu and Accra made it difficult to organise an immediate trip.

LilWin said he would instead work towards arranging a meeting between the actors and the President when the cast returns to Ghana for the movie’s premiere.

The proposed meeting would bring the Nigerian actors into direct contact with the President while also highlighting the cultural connection between Ghana and Nigeria through the film industry.

A Journey to Africa (Nzulezu) is LilWin’s second international movie project. His previous film, A Country Called Ghana, also featured several Nigerian actors and was released in 2024.

The new project continues LilWin’s efforts to bring Ghanaian and Nigerian actors together in productions aimed at reaching audiences across Africa and beyond.

The arrival of the Nigerian cast has also renewed conversations about cooperation between Ghana’s Kumawood industry and Nigeria’s Nollywood.

Among the Nigerian stars involved are actors with long-standing careers and large audiences, including Kanayo O. Kanayo, Patience Ozokwo, Mike Ezuruonye, Zubby Michael and Destiny Etiko.

The production is currently taking place at Nzulezu, a well-known stilt settlement in Ghana’s Western Region, as the cast and crew work on the movie.

Ghanaian highlife musician Bisa Kdei has raised concerns about the growing identity crisis facing highlife, saying the genre is struggling to maintain its place among younger music audiences as Afrobeats and other contemporary styles continue to dominate the Ghanaian music scene.

According to the Mansa hitmaker, many young Ghanaian musicians are already incorporating highlife elements into their songs but are reluctant to openly describe their music as highlife.

Speaking in an interview on Max TV, Bisa Kdei said the problem was not necessarily a lack of highlife music, but how the genre is being identified and presented to the public.

“We have an identity problem, you know. Even though they are doing highlife, the way to position it or project it is a problem now because of the few genres that have popped up here in Ghana, especially like Afrobeats and whatnot.”

He believes the strong association of highlife with older generations has also made some younger artistes hesitant to attach the genre’s name to their music.

Bisa Kdei explained that some musicians fear their songs will be viewed as outdated if they describe them as highlife.

“People are, let me just say, a bit scared to tag their songs as highlife because most people also think that highlife is for the old.”

For him, changing that perception requires a collective effort from musicians and the wider music industry.

He specifically called on award organisers, radio personalities, DJs and the media to give highlife greater attention and help introduce the genre to a younger generation.

Bisa Kdei believes music awards could play an important role in that process. He suggested that major award schemes should consider creating stronger highlife-focused recognition to encourage more young musicians to embrace the genre.

“Award schemes, we should change a few things in award schemes. We should get the radio, the DJs, the media to talk about highlife more to the young generation.”

He also proposed a Highlife Artiste of the Year category at major award ceremonies, arguing that such recognition could encourage emerging musicians to identify more confidently with the genre.

“If we make it like Highlife Artiste of the Year, it will push a lot of the young ones to do more highlife.”

The musician’s comments come as he prepares to launch a new annual event dedicated to highlife.

Bisa Kdei is set to hold the maiden edition of “The Convention” on December 20, 2026, at the Underbridge Annex in East Legon, Accra.

The event is designed to celebrate Ghana’s highlife heritage and bring together music lovers and highlife enthusiasts for an evening of live music, entertainment and cultural experiences.

Organisers intend for the event to become an annual fixture on Ghana’s entertainment calendar, with the first edition serving as the foundation for future editions. Tickets are already on sale through *714*911# on all mobile networks and via BisaConvention.live.

Bisa Kdei, born Ronald Kwaku Dei Appiah, has spent nearly 15 years in Ghana’s music industry and has built his career largely around highlife.

He became widely known after his breakthrough with the soundtrack Azonto Ghost and went on to release songs including Mansa, Samina, Brother Brother, Over and Asew. His music has also earned him several awards and international recognition.

The singer has previously spoken about the need for Ghanaian musicians to preserve highlife by incorporating elements of the genre into contemporary music.

In an earlier interview, he argued that artistes could perform Afrobeats, dancehall or hip-hop while still retaining highlife elements to ensure that Ghana’s musical identity remains visible.

Beyond his concerns about the genre’s future, Bisa Kdei also opened up about artistes he wished he had worked with.

He mentioned the late highlife musician Daasebre Dwamena as one of the artistes he particularly wanted to collaborate with before his death.

He also revealed that he had hoped to work with Daddy Lumba, another major figure in Ghanaian highlife, before the veteran musician passed away.

Bisa Kdei said he remains open to collaborations with different musicians, stressing that his interest is primarily in creating music rather than limiting himself to particular artistes or styles.

With The Convention now scheduled for December, the musician is putting his advocacy for highlife into a live event that is intended to bring the genre and its audience together in Accra.

Ghana’s traditional festivals are more than colourful celebrations. They preserve the history of communities, honour ancestors, strengthen traditional institutions and provide opportunities for people to reconnect with their cultural roots.

Among the best-known festivals in the Central Region is Fetu Afahye, celebrated by the chiefs and people of the Oguaa Traditional Area in Cape Coast.

The festival is held every year in September and reaches its climax on the first Saturday of September, when chiefs, queen mothers, Asafo companies, residents and visitors gather for the grand celebration. The National Commission on Culture lists Fetu Afahye as a September festival of Cape Coast, while Visit Ghana identifies the first Saturday of September as its main celebration day.

But behind the colourful durbar, traditional regalia, drumming and dancing is a story of disease, purification, thanksgiving, spirituality and the survival of the Oguaa people.

What does Fetu Afahye mean?

The name Fetu is traditionally associated with the local expression Efin Tu, interpreted as getting rid of or clearing away dirt.

According to the traditional history of the festival, a devastating disease outbreak once affected the Oguaa community. The people turned to their traditional spiritual authorities and sought help from their gods.

The disease eventually came to an end, and the people began observing rituals of purification and thanksgiving.

Visit Ghana describes Fetu Afahye as a commemoration of this purification and an expression of gratitude to the 77 gods of the Oguaa Traditional Area.

The National Commission on Culture similarly says the festival commemorates a historic disease outbreak and is intended to encourage cleanliness and prevent another epidemic from affecting the town.

The connection with the Fetu Kingdom

Fetu Afahye is also associated with the historic Fetu or Effutu kingdom, which was located inland from present-day Cape Coast.

Visit Ghana describes the Fetu kingdom as a 17th-century kingdom located about 19 kilometres inland from Cape Coast.

The name therefore carries historical significance beyond the festival itself.

The history of the Fetu people is connected to the wider movement of Guan-speaking peoples in southern Ghana. Traditional accounts recorded in historical sources describe migrations that eventually resulted in settlements along the Central Region coast.

Cape Coast and Oguaa

Cape Coast is the modern name of the city traditionally known as Oguaa.

Oguaa developed as an important coastal settlement and later became one of the most significant centres of European activity on the Gold Coast.

The city became closely connected with European trade and colonial administration, leaving behind historic structures including Cape Coast Castle.

The cultural history of Oguaa therefore exists alongside a much broader history involving indigenous communities, European trade, colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade.

The National Commission on Culture describes the Central Region as an area where Fante traditions and the legacy of European coastal trade have strongly influenced the region’s identity.

Fetu Afahye as a purification festival

One of the most important meanings of Fetu Afahye is purification.

Before the main celebration, traditional authorities undertake a series of rituals intended to cleanse the community and prepare it for a new traditional year.

This is why the festival should not be understood simply as a durbar or entertainment event.

Its traditional foundation is spiritual.

Visit Ghana explains that Ghanaian festivals generally provide opportunities for communities to remember their ancestors, seek protection and purify their states before entering a new year.

The 77 gods of Oguaa

A major part of the traditional belief surrounding Fetu Afahye is the recognition of the 77 gods of Oguaa.

Traditional authorities perform rituals and pour libations as part of the thanksgiving to these spiritual powers.

The festival therefore reflects the traditional religious structure of the Oguaa people.

The 77 gods are not simply a number mentioned during the celebration; they form part of the spiritual explanation for the community’s relationship with its land, history and traditional institutions.

Visit Ghana specifically identifies the offering of thanks to the 77 gods as an important purpose of Fetu Afahye.

One of the distinctive preparations for Fetu Afahye is the confinement of the Omanhen, the paramount chief of the Oguaa Traditional Area.

The Omanhen traditionally spends about a week in confinement before the major public celebration.

During this period, he is expected to engage in spiritual consultations and traditional activities connected with the preparation of the festival.

Visit Ghana identifies this confinement as one of the important activities preceding Fetu Afahye.

The practice illustrates the central role of the traditional ruler in the spiritual and political life of Oguaa.

The ban on drumming and noise

Before the main celebration begins, restrictions are placed on certain activities.

Traditional accounts of Fetu Afahye describe a period when drumming, dancing, noise-making and merrymaking are prohibited within the traditional area.

Fishing in the Fosu Lagoon is also banned during this period.

These restrictions create a period of quiet and preparation before the festival’s dramatic public celebrations begin.

The contrast is striking: the community moves from silence and restriction to days filled with drumming, dancing, processions and celebration.

Amuntumadeze – the health and cleaning day

Another important feature is Amuntumadeze, traditionally regarded as a day for general cleaning.

Residents clean their homes and surroundings as part of the community’s preparation.

The practice connects the festival’s spiritual idea of purification with physical cleanliness.

This is particularly significant because the traditional history of Fetu Afahye is linked to a devastating disease outbreak.

The National Commission on Culture says the festival is observed partly to keep the town clean and prevent another epidemic.

Thus, the festival’s traditional message has a modern public-health relevance as well.

The Fosu Lagoon

The Fosu Lagoon is central to Fetu Afahye.

The lagoon has traditionally been associated with the spiritual and economic life of Cape Coast.

Fishing communities depend on water resources for their livelihoods, while the lagoon also occupies an important position in the traditional rituals of the festival.

Before fishing resumes, traditional rites are performed.

The Bakatue ceremony

One of the notable activities connected to the festival is Bakatue.

The ceremony involves opening the lagoon to the sea by cutting through the sandbar that separates the two bodies of water.

According to Visit Ghana, the ritual is traditionally associated with allowing fish to enter the lagoon.

The Omanhen pours libation to Nana Fosu, the deity associated with the lagoon.

The paramount chief then casts his fishing net into the lagoon three times.

This signifies the lifting of the traditional ban on fishing.

A successful catch is traditionally regarded as an encouraging sign for the coming season.

Fishermen and the lagoon regatta

The opening of the lagoon also becomes an opportunity for fishermen and community groups to celebrate.

Various fishermen’s groups organise activities on the lagoon, including regattas or boat races.

These activities add a recreational element to the traditional ceremony while maintaining the connection between the festival and the fishing heritage of Cape Coast.

The traditional priests and priestesses

Traditional priests and priestesses have an important role during Fetu Afahye.

One of the most anticipated events takes place during a night vigil around the Fosu Lagoon.

The priests and priestesses invoke the traditional gods through drumming, dancing and ritual performances.

The event attracts large crowds, including young people and visitors.

Visit Ghana describes the night vigil as one of the major attractions of the festival.

Nana Paprat Shrine and Adammba

Another important traditional activity takes place around the Nana Paprat Shrine.

A second vigil is held there, involving rituals and dancing known as Adammba.

The ceremony continues into the following day and forms part of the spiritual preparation for the climax of the festival.

These activities demonstrate that Fetu Afahye consists of a series of ceremonies rather than one single event.

The sacrifice of a bull

Another significant traditional ceremony involves the slaughtering of a bull.

According to Visit Ghana, the Omanhen performs this purification-related ceremony after addressing the people.

The sacrifice forms part of the traditional rites associated with cleansing the community and seeking protection and prosperity.

The seven Asafo companies

The Asafo companies are among the most recognisable groups during Fetu Afahye.

These traditional warrior organisations have historical roles within Akan communities.

They continue to contribute significantly to the public character of the festival through drumming, dancing, processions, regalia and other cultural displays.

The Ghana News Agency reported during the 2023 festival launch that cultural performances were presented by the seven Asafo companies of Oguaa.

Their presence gives the festival a strong connection to the military and social history of the traditional area.

Traditional regalia

Fetu Afahye is also a spectacular display of traditional clothing.

Chiefs and queen mothers appear in elaborate regalia, accompanied by linguists, elders and members of their traditional entourages.

The Asafo companies also display their distinctive clothing and symbols.

These costumes are not simply decorative.

They communicate traditional identity, authority, rank and historical affiliation.

The grand procession

The climax of the festival is marked by a major procession through the community.

Chiefs and traditional groups move through Cape Coast accompanied by music, dancing and other cultural performances.

The procession brings together the spiritual and social aspects of the festival.

After days of preparation and rituals, the entire community is able to participate publicly in the celebration.

The Grand Durbar

The Grand Durbar is one of the most anticipated moments of Fetu Afahye.

Traditional rulers sit in state while their subjects, visitors and invited dignitaries gather to witness the celebration.

The occasion provides a platform for traditional leaders to address the people and reflect on the development of Oguaa.

Recent celebrations have attracted political leaders, business personalities, cultural figures and visitors from outside Cape Coast.

In 2025, the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly reported that the festival brought together the Oguaa Traditional Council, chiefs, citizens and visitors for a Grand Durbar at Jubilee Park.

Fetu Afahye and education

The modern festival has increasingly been used to discuss contemporary issues affecting Cape Coast.

For example, the theme of the 2023 Oguaa Fetu Afahye was “Celebrating our Educational Institutions for the Enhancement of Ghana.”

During the launch, Oguaa Omanhen Osabarima Kwesi Atta II urged parents and guardians to invest in the education of their children.

This shows how the festival has evolved into a platform where traditional leadership can address modern development concerns.

The festival and young people

Young people form a major part of the Fetu Afahye audience.

The night activities involving traditional priests and priestesses, cultural performances, music and dancing attract large numbers of young people.

The festival therefore provides younger generations with an opportunity to experience traditional practices that they may not encounter in their everyday lives.

This is important for the preservation of oral traditions, music, dance and indigenous knowledge.

Fetu Afahye and family reunions

The festival also serves as a homecoming occasion.

People from Oguaa who live elsewhere in Ghana or abroad often return to Cape Coast during the celebration.

Families reunite, old friends meet and visitors reconnect with their ancestral home.

Visit Ghana notes that Fetu Afahye provides an opportunity for people to meet old friends and relatives whom they may not have seen for a long time.

Fetu Afahye and tourism

Cape Coast is already one of Ghana’s most important cultural and historical destinations.

The festival adds another major attraction to the city.

Visitors can combine the festival with trips to historic sites and tourist destinations such as Cape Coast Castle.

Elmina Castle, Kakum National Park, Fort William, Fort Amsterdam, Fort PatienceFort Good Hope

Visit Ghana specifically highlights several of these attractions as places visitors can explore around the festival.

The combination of history, culture and tourism gives Fetu Afahye considerable potential for local economic activity.

Hotels, restaurants, transport operators, food vendors, artisans and other businesses can benefit from the influx of visitors.

The festival cannot be separated from Cape Coast’s wider history.

Cape Coast was once the capital of the Gold Coast and became an important centre of European commercial and colonial activity.

Its castles and forts remain reminders of the region’s role in the transatlantic slave trade.

Against that historical background, Fetu Afahye provides an opportunity for the Oguaa people to publicly celebrate an identity that existed before and survived alongside those external influences.

A festival that survived opposition

Fetu Afahye has also experienced periods of opposition.

Wikipedia records that the colonial administration once prohibited the festival and described it negatively as Black Christmas.

The festival nevertheless survived and was eventually revived.

This history illustrates the tension that existed between indigenous religious practices and Christianity and colonial authority during earlier periods of Ghana’s history.

Today, Fetu Afahye continues to be celebrated openly as an important cultural institution.

The return of the festival

The festival underwent a long period of difficulty before its eventual revival.

Wikipedia records that the festival resumed after struggles involving religious and traditional interests, with the period between 1948 and 1996 forming part of this history.

Its survival is therefore significant.

It demonstrates the ability of traditional institutions to adapt while retaining their cultural identity.

Fetu Afahye and the Oguaa traditional year

Another important feature is that Fetu Afahye is regarded as marking the beginning of a new traditional year for the Oguaa people.

The idea is connected with the traditional concept of Afehyia, or the completion and renewal of a cycle of seasons.

The festival therefore looks both backwards and forward.

People remember what has happened during the previous year while seeking blessings and protection for the year ahead.

Christianity and Fetu Afahye

The festival also reflects the coexistence of traditional religion and Christianity in modern Cape Coast.

After the traditional celebrations, an interdenominational Christian service is held as part of the closing activities.

Visit Ghana identifies the closing service as taking place at Chapel Square.

This demonstrates the way modern Ghanaian communities can maintain traditional festivals while also incorporating Christian practices.

The festival continues to evolve.

In 2025, the Centre for National Culture reported that the official launch featured the Oguaa Traditional Council, queen mothers, Christian representatives, civil society organisations and cultural groups.

The launch also introduced the Oguaa Project, an initiative focused on equipping young people with skills and knowledge to contribute to their community.

This shows that Fetu Afahye is increasingly being used not only for cultural preservation but also for youth development and community mobilisation.

The 2026 Fetu Afahye demonstrated the festival’s growing importance as a national cultural event.

The Ghana News Agency reported that Cape Coast hosted the climax of the 62nd Fetu Afahye on September 5, 2026.

The celebration brought together the Oguaa Omanhen Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, Ga Mantse King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II and Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale I, creating a meeting of Fante, Ga and Gonja traditional leadership.

GNA reported that the gathering was also connected with discussions around shared histories and reparatory justice relating to the transatlantic slave trade.

This illustrates how traditional festivals can become platforms for conversations about contemporary national and historical issues.

Why Fetu Afahye remains important

Fetu Afahye is much more than a colourful festival held in Cape Coast every September.

It brings together:

History – remembering the disease outbreak and the survival of Oguaa.

Spirituality – honouring the traditional gods and ancestors.

Purification – cleansing the community and preparing for a new year.

Chieftaincy – bringing traditional rulers and their people together.

Fishing – maintaining the historical relationship between Oguaa and the Fosu Lagoon.

Culture – preserving music, dance, clothing and rituals.

Family – bringing people home to reconnect.

Tourism – attracting visitors to Cape Coast and the Central Region.

Development – providing a platform to discuss education, youth and community projects.

For the people of Oguaa, Fetu Afahye is ultimately a celebration of survival, thanksgiving, purification, identity and renewal.

From the quiet period of traditional restrictions to the opening of the Fosu Lagoon, from the rituals at the shrines to the colourful Asafo processions and the final Grand Durbar, each stage tells part of the story of Cape Coast.

And as each generation continues to celebrate it, Fetu Afahye remains a living connection between Oguaa’s past, its present and its future.

Ghana does not have a shortage of tourist attractions.

From castles and forts to waterfalls, forests, beaches, botanical gardens, traditional festivals and historic sites, the country has an extraordinary collection of places capable of attracting visitors.

The bigger question is what happens after the attraction has been discovered.

Who maintains it?

Who develops it?

Who makes it accessible?

Who tells its story?

Who ensures that a visitor who comes today will want to return tomorrow?

These questions have become increasingly important as concerns about the condition of some tourism and heritage sites continue to surface.

Ghana’s own medium-term development plan identifies several problems affecting tourism sites, including inadequate visitor facilities, poor roads, weak signage, limited interpretation, inadequate conservation funding and maintenance challenges. It also acknowledges that some heritage structures face deterioration.

For a country seeking to make tourism a major contributor to the economy, these challenges raise a difficult question:

Are Ghana’s tourism assets being managed well enough to match their potential?

The attractions are there, but the experience matters

Ghana’s tourism strength is obvious.

The country has internationally recognised heritage sites, national parks, beaches and cultural attractions.

In 2025, Ghana recorded 1,306,962 international tourist arrivals, generating about US$4.34 billion in revenue, according to figures presented by Tourism Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie. Domestic tourism visits also increased from 1.68 million in 2024 to 1.79 million in 2025.

Those figures demonstrate that people are travelling to Ghana.

But tourism is not only about how many people arrive.

It is also about what visitors experience when they get here.

A tourist may be interested in visiting a historic site, but poor roads, inadequate facilities, inconsistent storytelling, weak maintenance or a lack of activities can affect whether that person recommends the destination or returns.

The ministry itself has acknowledged the problems

In October 2026, Tourism Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie visited attractions including the Aburi Botanical Gardens, Aburi Craft Village and Papaye Recreation Village.

During the visit, she called for improved maintenance, continuous investment and more consistent historical interpretation at tourism sites.

She also acknowledged that tourism development requires cooperation between institutions because some attractions do not fall directly under the Ministry’s management.

The Minister further pointed to poor road access as one of the issues affecting tourist destinations and said roads requiring urgent attention had been submitted for consideration under government infrastructure plans.

That raises an important distinction.

The Tourism Ministry cannot personally repair every road, maintain every attraction or manage every historic site.

But it is responsible for policy direction, coordination, advocacy and oversight within the tourism sector.

That is where the question of performance becomes relevant.

Critics say the sector needs more than workshops

The strongest criticism of the Minister has come from within Ghana’s creative and tourism conversation.

Ghanaian broadcaster Austine Woode publicly criticised Abla Dzifa Gomashie’s performance during a Joy FM Showbiz Roundtable in August 2026.

He argued that the Ministry had not yet produced enough tangible interventions that would significantly affect people working in the industry.

Woode specifically raised concerns about the stalled Kumasi theatre project and questioned whether enough practical work was being done to move the sector forward.

He described the Minister as having “failed” in his assessment and argued that stakeholder engagements and workshops needed to translate into visible results.

Those are his views, not an established fact that the Minister has failed.

But they raise a legitimate public-interest question:

How should the performance of a Tourism Minister be measured?

Is tourism promotion enough?

Ghana has become increasingly skilled at promoting its attractions.

There are tourism campaigns, festivals, exhibitions, international engagements and destination-marketing initiatives.

The Ministry says it has adopted a domestic-first, global-next strategy aimed at encouraging Ghanaians to explore their own country while strengthening Ghana’s international tourism appeal.

The Ministry has also highlighted initiatives including the Ghana Tourism Marketplace, Ghana Tourism Investment Platform, Afro Gastro Festival and other programmes.

It has pointed to Ghana’s first Tourism Satellite Account, the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators Programme and Ghana’s successful bid to host the 70th Session of the UN Tourism Commission for Africa in 2027 as part of its work.

But promotion can only take tourism so far.

If a destination is promoted heavily but visitors arrive to poor roads, inadequate toilets, weak signage or deteriorating facilities, the marketing can create expectations that the destination struggles to meet.

The problem of heritage sites

Ghana’s castles and forts are among its most important tourism assets.

They are also sites of enormous historical importance.

Yet the government has acknowledged concerns surrounding encroachment and the condition of heritage areas.

In August 2026, Minister Gomashie called for illegal structures around forts and castles to be removed, warning that encroachment threatens the beauty, integrity and long-term preservation of the sites.

She also said stronger engagement with surrounding communities was necessary because residents needed to understand why protecting the sites mattered.

This highlights another challenge.

Heritage protection is not simply about putting a fence around a monument.

It requires communities, traditional authorities, local assemblies, tourism agencies and central government to work together.

Ghana cannot afford to let attractions become photographs of what they used to be

A tourist attraction should not only be famous because of its history.

It must be capable of functioning as a visitor destination today.

That means basic facilities.

Clean surroundings.

Safe access.

Clear information.

Professional guides.

Good customer service.

Interesting activities.

Reliable transportation.

Proper maintenance.

And a reason for visitors to stay longer or return.

The NDPC’s tourism development document identifies many of these weaknesses, including inadequate washrooms, restaurants and accommodation at some sites, poor access roads, gaps in signage and interpretation, insufficient conservation funding and weak maintenance and service standards.

These are not merely aesthetic concerns.

They can directly affect tourism revenue and local employment.

The Tourism Minister’s defence is that the problems are bigger than the Ministry

There is also a case to be made for the Ministry.

Tourism does not operate in isolation.

Roads belong to the broader infrastructure system.

Some attractions are managed by agencies outside the Ministry.

Private businesses operate hotels, restaurants and transport services.

Local assemblies have responsibilities.

Traditional authorities control or influence land and community matters.

The Minister has therefore argued that tourism development requires cooperation across institutions.

She has also said that road improvements to tourism sites have been raised with the government and that investment and infrastructure development remain priorities.

This means judging the Ministry’s performance requires separating what it directly controls from what depends on other agencies.

But accountability cannot stop at explanations

That is where the debate becomes important.

It is understandable that a Tourism Minister cannot personally fix every problem in Ghana’s tourism industry.

However, the public can reasonably ask what measurable improvements should occur during a minister’s tenure.

How many neglected sites have been restored?

How many attractions have received new facilities?

How many roads to major tourist destinations have actually improved?

How many heritage sites have been protected from encroachment?

How many jobs have been created?

How much more are local communities earning from tourism?

How many visitors are staying longer?

How many destinations outside the traditional tourism hotspots are attracting significant numbers?

These are the questions that can turn political promises into measurable accountability.

Ghana’s tourism numbers tell only part of the story

The 2025 tourism figures provide encouraging evidence of demand.

But visitor numbers alone cannot tell the entire story.

A country can attract more tourists while some attractions remain poorly maintained.

It can generate billions in tourism receipts while individual communities around tourist sites receive limited economic benefits.

It can promote dozens of destinations while visitors continue to concentrate around a small number of major attractions.

Indeed, the Tourism Minister reported that the 10 most visited attractions accounted for almost 77 per cent of domestic tourism site visits in 2025.

That concentration itself raises a question:

What is being done to turn Ghana’s lesser-known attractions into viable destinations?

The real test may be what happens outside Accra

Tourism has the potential to spread economic activity beyond the country’s major urban centres.

A well-developed attraction can create opportunities for tour guides, food vendors, hotels, transport operators, artisans, farmers and small businesses.

But that only happens when visitors actually come.

And visitors need a reason to come.

That requires investment in the entire tourism chain—not just the attraction itself.

A waterfall without proper access may remain a beautiful secret.

A historic site without interpretation may leave visitors informed only by what they already knew.

A cultural destination without accommodation may become a short stop rather than a multi-day experience.

So, has the Tourism Minister failed?

That conclusion should not be presented as an established fact.

There are documented achievements and measurable tourism growth, including increased international arrivals, higher tourism receipts, growth in domestic visits and new policy initiatives.

At the same time, there are documented structural problems involving infrastructure, maintenance, conservation, accessibility and visitor experience.

And there is public criticism from industry voices, including Austine Woode, who argues that the Ministry needs to deliver more tangible results.

The fairest question, therefore, may not be simply whether Abla Dzifa Gomashie has failed.

It is this:

Has the Ministry’s work so far been enough to close the gap between Ghana’s enormous tourism potential and the actual experience offered at many of its destinations?

That is a question the Minister, tourism agencies and stakeholders will ultimately have to answer through results.

Because Ghana does not lack attractions.

It does not lack history.

It does not lack culture.

It does not lack natural beauty.

What Ghana needs is the ability to turn those assets into well-maintained, accessible, properly managed and economically productive destinations.

Until that gap is closed, the country’s tourism story will continue to contain an uncomfortable contradiction:

Ghana has the attractions tourists want to see—but too many of them still need the investment, maintenance and management required to make the experience match the promise.

Across Ghana, there are buildings that once represented ambition, wealth, public service, education, industry and even national pride.

Today, some of them stand quietly behind overgrown weeds, broken windows, rusted gates and cracked walls.

Some were once offices. Others were schools, hotels, factories, government properties, residential buildings or important landmarks.

For many Ghanaians, the question is simple: How does a building that was once valuable end up abandoned for years?

But behind Ghana’s abandoned buildings is a much bigger story than what meets the eye.

It involves ownership, maintenance, funding, land disputes, changing government priorities, planning, safety regulations and, in some cases, the failure to decide what should happen to old properties.

And when the buildings have historical or tourism value, another institution enters the conversation—the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.

But should every abandoned building be blamed on the Tourism Ministry?

The answer is no.

That is because responsibility for Ghana’s buildings is divided among different institutions depending on who owns the property, what the building is used for and whether it has historical or heritage significance.

It starts with ownership.

One of the biggest reasons abandoned buildings can remain untouched for years is that ownership is not always straightforward.

A privately owned building is primarily the responsibility of its owner.

Government property brings in government institutions.

Public buildings and government-owned properties fall within the broader responsibilities of the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources, while the Public Works Department plays a role in the construction, maintenance and rehabilitation of government buildings and infrastructure.

This means that when Ghanaians see an old government building deteriorating, the first question should not automatically be, “Where is the Tourism Minister?”

The first question should be: Who owns this building and which institution has responsibility for it?

That question can sometimes be surprisingly difficult to answer.

The maintenance problem

Buildings do not become abandoned overnight.

A small leak becomes a damaged ceiling.

A broken window is left unrepaired.

Paint begins to peel.

Water enters the structure.

Electrical systems deteriorate.

The surrounding land becomes overgrown.

Eventually, a building that could have been repaired relatively cheaply becomes an expensive rehabilitation project.

The Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources officially identifies the maintenance and protection of public property and infrastructure among its responsibilities.

The Public Works Department also states that it handles the design, construction and maintenance of public buildings, including the renovation and rehabilitation of government properties.

Yet funding remains a major part of the problem.

A 2021 inspection of state bungalows by then Works and Housing Minister Francis Asenso-Boakye found some government residences in poor condition because of inadequate maintenance. He appealed for funding to support their upkeep.

The problem, therefore, is not simply that Ghana has abandoned buildings.

It is also that maintenance has often been treated as something to address after deterioration has already become serious.

Some buildings have a different story.y

Not every old building is simply an abandoned property.

Some are part of Ghana’s history.

They may be connected to colonial administration, independence, education, traditional communities, important personalities, religious history, architecture or major events.

This is where the tourism and heritage conversation becomes important.

Ghana’s heritage institutions are responsible for protecting significant historical properties, while the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts provides policy direction for the sector.

The Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, for example, is the custodian of Ghana’s tangible cultural heritage.

In December 2025, the Board temporarily closed Fort Apollonia, Fort St. Anthony, Fort Orange, James Fort and Ussher Fort because of maintenance, safety assessments and conservation work.

That decision showed the difficult balance between keeping heritage sites open for tourism and protecting them from further deterioration.

When an abandoned building becomes a tourism problem

This is where the issue becomes more complicated.

An old building may have no tourism value at all.

But another may have enormous potential.

Imagine a historic building in the middle of Accra that tells the story of a particular period in Ghana’s history.

Instead of remaining locked and deteriorating, it could potentially become a museum, cultural centre, creative hub, boutique hotel, research centre or heritage attraction.

The challenge is determining which buildings deserve preservation and how they can be economically sustained.

Preservation without funding can leave a building deteriorating.

Commercialisation without historical sensitivity can destroy the very character that makes the building valuable.

That is why the debate requires more than demolition or renovation.

So where does the Tourism Ministry come in?

The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts has increasingly placed heritage preservation on its agenda.

Tourism Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie has repeatedly spoken about the need to protect Ghana’s built heritage.

In 2025, she urged architects to become more involved in protecting historic buildings and warned that Ghana risked losing important heritage through neglect and inadequate professional intervention.

In August 2026, she also supported efforts to preserve and restore Osu Castle through discussions involving Danish partners. She stressed that heritage preservation should not only be about maintaining physical structures but also about telling Ghana’s history properly.

The government has also launched a five-year Ghana-Korea Heritage Project aimed at strengthening the conservation and climate resilience of Ghana’s forts and castles.

The project focuses on historic sites threatened by coastal erosion and climate change, while also building technical capacity for heritage preservation.

These are important interventions.

But they also raise another question.

Is this enough?

That is where the public debate begins.

Ghana does not only have famous castles and forts.

There are old schools, houses, theatres, government properties, railway-related structures, industrial buildings, colonial-era architecture and other landmarks scattered across the country.

Some are known to the public.

Others are slowly disappearing without much attention.

The Ministry itself has acknowledged that the tourism and heritage sector faces challenges including inadequate funding and dilapidated infrastructure. In a June 2026 engagement with Parliament’s Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism, the Ministry highlighted delayed budgetary allocations, logistical constraints and dilapidated infrastructure among the challenges confronting the sector.

That makes the abandoned-building debate bigger than one minister.

It is a question of national priorities.

What happens when nobody acts?

The danger is that an abandoned building eventually reaches a point where restoration becomes much more expensive—or impossible.

In some cases, the structure becomes unsafe.

In March 2026, following the collapse of the Experimental School at Accra Newtown, the Deputy Minister for the Interior urged the public to report unsafe structures and called for stricter enforcement of building regulations.

An abandoned building is therefore not merely an eyesore.

It can become a public safety issue.

It can also become an environmental problem, a security concern and a missed economic opportunity.

Could abandoned buildings become tourist attractions?

Perhaps.

But not every abandoned building should become a tourist site.

The first step should be identifying buildings with genuine historical, architectural, cultural or social value.

Experts could then assess their structural condition, ownership, historical importance, restoration cost and possible future use.

Some could become museums.

Others could become cultural centres.

Some could be converted into creative spaces.

Others may simply need to be demolished if they are beyond safe restoration.

The important thing is to make a deliberate decision rather than allowing buildings to remain in limbo for decades.

Ghana’s heritage is bigger than castles.

Ghana’s tourism story has often been associated with beaches, waterfalls, wildlife, festivals, forts and castles.

But the country’s architecture is also part of its history.

An old building can tell a story that a newly constructed tourist facility cannot reproduce.

The design, materials, location and memories attached to it can provide visitors with a different understanding of Ghana.

That is why the question of abandoned buildings deserves attention from tourism authorities, local assemblies, architects, historians, property owners and communities.

The Ministry should not carry the blame alone—but it cannot stay out of the conversation.n

It would be unfair to blame the Tourism Ministry for every abandoned building in Ghana.

A privately owned property, a government bungalow and a protected heritage building do not fall under the same responsibility.

But where an abandoned building has significant cultural or historical value, the Tourism Ministry and heritage agencies cannot completely look away.

The responsibility should instead be shared.

The Works Ministry and Public Works Department have responsibilities around public buildings and infrastructure.

Metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies have planning and local governance responsibilities.

Property owners have obligations concerning their buildings.

Heritage institutions have responsibilities for protected historical assets.

And the Tourism Ministry has a role in ensuring that buildings with genuine heritage and tourism potential are identified, protected and integrated into the country’s tourism strategy.

The real mystery

Perhaps the real mystery of Ghana’s abandoned buildings is not why they were abandoned.

It is why some remain abandoned even after everyone knows they are there.

Who owns them?

Who is supposed to maintain them?

How much would restoration cost?

Are they historically important?

Can they be reused?

Who should pay?

And if restoration is impossible, who has the authority to make the final decision?

Until those questions are answered, Ghana’s abandoned buildings will continue to stand as silent reminders of unfinished plans.

And for the Tourism Ministry, the challenge is not to take responsibility for every neglected structure in the country.

It is to make sure that the buildings that carry Ghana’s history are not allowed to disappear simply because nobody acted early enough.