Ghana’s Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts, Dzifa Abla Gomashie, has called for the immediate removal of all unauthorized buildings surrounding the country's historical forts and castles. She warned that persistent encroachment poses a serious threat to the preservation of Ghana's cultural heritage.
According to the Minister, several key heritage sites are under intense pressure from illegal development, with many structures being built inside designated protective buffer zones surrounding the historic monuments.
Speaking in Accra at a symposium on the Korea-Ghana Heritage Project, Ms. Gomashie emphasized that law enforcement efforts must go hand in hand with consistent community dialogue.
"Often, we leave out the engagement with the community. And so they don’t see the importance of why our, for example, call for the demolition of illegal structures around the forts and castles," she noted.
Minister Gomashie remarked that seeing the visual evidence of the encroachment would convince anyone of the need for immediate intervention.
Finally, the Minister stressed that protecting national heritage sites cannot be the responsibility of the government alone. She called for stronger collaboration among traditional leaders, local communities, state institutions, and key stakeholders to prevent further illegal building around historical locations.
Credit: JoyOnline
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