Accra is to be rehabilitated under a re-development project by UNESCO at a cost of over two million dollars. The rehabilitation would be centred on the forts, castles, the old harbour and the entire township of old Accra.
The project also involves the upgrading of basic social infrastructure such as schools and hospitals and the creation of employment avenues for the youth. The President of the general conference of UNESCO, Professor (Mrs) Jaroslava Moserova who announced this at a meeting with members of the Ga traditional Council in Accra on Tuesday, urged them to protect the heritage bequeathed to them.
"Do not think about what UNESCO can do for you, but what you can do to maintain or upgrade what your heritage is," she said, adding that, "the future of your country is in your hands." She commended the Chiefs for maintaining the forts and castles and said, "this has made your people highly respected at the conference of UNESCO."
The UNESCO representative in Ghana, Mr Bruno Lefevre said UNESCO agreed to assist in rehabilitating Accra because it harbours over 100 historical buildings, in addition to the numerous forts and castles. "Some of these buildings held the one time beauty of Old Accra. We need this beauty back," he said.
Mr Lefevre said another area that UNESCO would be assisting in rehabilitating is the shrines in Ashanti, which have a lot of historical and heritage importance. He called on the chiefs to set up an independent agency to oversee the rehabilitation work.
The Member of Parliament for Odododiodioo Mr Reginald Niibi Ayi-Bonte urged the chiefs to unite to ensure that the rehabilitation works succeed. He said: "if we cannot improve our legacy, we should always ensure that it does not deteriorate during our tenure of office." Mr Ayi-Bonte also urged the chiefs to find ways of imparting the Ga language to the younger eneration, who are gradually ignoring it
