US$10 million for reconstruction of Yaa Asantewaa Museum

The Yaa Asantewaa Museum, ruined by fire in year 2008, is to be reconstructed with a US$10 million support from the United Nation’s Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).

Mr. Frank Badu Sampene, the Curator, said all was set for the construction works to begin on the state-of-the-art facility to sit on a 14-acre land.

He was speaking during the presentation ceremony of a miniature model ship to the museum by the Ghana Navy High Command at Ejisu

The Ejisu-Juaben Municipal Assembly is spearheading the project together with the Ejisu Traditional Council as part of a deliberate effort to promote tourism in the area.

Mr. Sampene said, when completed, it would be home to valuable relics and artefacts, provide extensive historical facts, brochures and video documentary on the legendary Ashanti warrior and queen of Ejisu, Yaa Asantewaa.

Information about her childhood, life as queen, how she led the Ashanti army to war in 1900 against the British, her capture and days in exile in the Seychelles Island, would be available to visitors.

The Centre for National Culture (CNC), the Ceramics Department of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and Ghana Museums and Monuments Board would give technical assistance in the areas of decoration and preservation of the artefacts.

The museum, originally built in year 2000 to mark the centenary of the Yaa Asantewaa War, was destroyed by fire, eight years ago.

Mr. Sampene said there could be no doubt the facility would help to bring in more revenue for the development of the municipality through domestic and international tourism arrivals.

Naval Captain Eric Adu, Director-General of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) Training School, eulogized the late Yaa Asantewaa for her courage and tenacity of purpose in defending her people.

It was in recognition of these admirable traits that that the Ghana Navy High Command decided to name one of its ships after her.

He said “GNS Yaa Asantewaa”, acquired from the Germans in 2012, had since led some daring and difficult operations on the sea - counter piracy, tackling illegal fishing, the narcotics trade, oil bunkering and maritime pollution.

Naval Captain Adu said the presentation was to remind visitors of the instrumental role Yaa Asantewaa played in preserving the culture of the people, and to also cement ties between the Navy and Ejisu Traditional Council.