Abla Dzifa Gomashie engages CNC staff, MMDCs on unlocking Bono’s tourism potential

The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called for greater commitment, professionalism, collaboration and patriotism among stakeholders to unlock the full potential of Ghana’s tourism, culture and creative arts sector.

The minister made the call when she met with management and staff of the Centre for National Culture (CNC) in the Bono Region as part of her familiarisation tour of the region.

Gomashie urged public-sector institutions to learn from the successes of the private sector, which, she noted, had recorded significant improvements in hotels and other tourism-related businesses over the years.

She said the growth demonstrated the private sector’s ability to identify and take advantage of opportunities within the existing business environment and encouraged public institutions to adopt similar approaches to improve service delivery and operational standards.

The minister also stressed the need for stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors to strengthen tourism infrastructure, attract investment and improve service delivery across the country.

She reminded political appointees, directors and other public officials of their responsibility to provide effective leadership, relevant information and the necessary support to advance the tourism, culture and creative arts sector.

Gomashie further urged staff and stakeholders to give their best in representing Ghana at both the national and international levels, emphasising that their work was ultimately in the interest of the country and future generations.

“Our work is not for an individual; it is for Ghana, represented by the Red, Gold and Green with the Black Star,” she reminded the participants, stressing the importance of patriotism and commitment in the discharge of their duties.

She called on stakeholders to build on what they had inherited and ensure that their efforts contributed to leaving behind a stronger tourism, culture and creative arts sector for future generations.

The Bono Regional Minister, who accompanied Gomashie during the engagement, assured the people of the region of the government’s continued support for the development of tourism, culture and creative arts.

He expressed appreciation to the minister for taking time to engage directly with staff and listen to their concerns, saying such interactions would help identify challenges and opportunities at the regional level.

He expressed the hope that more engagements of that nature would be organised to help improve the fortunes of the tourism and cultural sector in the Bono Region.

In a related development, Gomashie also met with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCs) in the region to discuss their role in harnessing the tourism, culture and creative arts potential of their respective areas.

The engagement focused on how local authorities could support the identification, development and promotion of tourist attractions and cultural assets to stimulate visible development in the Bono Region and surrounding communities.

The minister encouraged the MMDCs to work closely with the Ministry and relevant agencies to create an enabling environment for tourism investment, preserve cultural heritage and position the region as an attractive destination for both domestic and international visitors.

The engagements form part of the minister’s broader efforts to deepen collaboration with regional and local stakeholders and identify practical measures to drive the development of Ghana’s tourism, culture and creative arts sector.