Accra, Ghana – 13th November 2023— A delegation from Guyana led by Deputy Mayor Denise Althee Miller has paid a courtesy call on Ghana’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, to explore opportunities for collaboration in Culture, Tourism, and Creative Arts.
The delegation, currently on a familiarization visit to Ghana, was received on behalf of the Minister by Deputy Minister Hon. Yussif Issaka Jajah, who welcomed the visitors and reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to strengthening ties with Guyana.
“We are more than ever ready to partner with you in any aspect that has to do with Culture, Tourism, or Creative Arts. Our doors are open because we are all brothers and sisters,” the Deputy Minister said. “Guyana is home to us, just as Ghana is home to you.”
The meeting aimed to deepen historical and cultural connections between the two nations, both of which share deep-rooted ties through history, language, and heritage.
Deputy Mayor Miller highlighted the long-standing historical and political relationships between the two countries, tracing Guyana’s revolutionary history to Ghanaian roots.
“Our national heroes, Kofi, Kwamena, and Damon, were all of Ghanaian descent,” she said. “If you look at Guyana, you will see the reflection of your culture in our food, our behavior, and our traditions. Coming together is simply a homecoming for us.”
She also underscored the political connections between Guyana’s leadership and Ghana’s independence movement, noting that Guyana’s first president, Lyndon Forbes Samson Burnham, admired Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, for his pioneering role in Pan-Africanism and independence.
President of the Ghana Day Association in Guyana, Queen Mother Atiang, also emphasized the deep cultural links between the two nations. She described how many Guyanese traditions mirror those of Ghana, including food such as kenkey (locally called kanke), palm nut soup, and family ceremonies such as outdooring and kwek kwek wedding festivities.
“A lot of us see ourselves as ethnic Ghanaians,” Queen Mother Atiang said. “We pound fufu just like you do. We even have similar rituals for naming babies and marriage ceremonies. We are now learning more about the details of those traditions we share.”
She added that Guyana continues to celebrate Guyana Day around Ghana’s Independence anniversary in March and Emancipation Day on August 1, both of which commemorate the shared struggle and heritage of African descendants.
During the meeting, officials from Ghana’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, including Chief Director Mr. Joseph Kwesi Amoah, Director of Culture and Creative Arts Mr. Devine Owusu Ansah, Director of Administration Mr. Ohene Benning, Director of Finance Mr. Aminu Abdulai, and Head of Procurement Ms. Anbella Selase Amevor, joined the discussions.
Hon. Yussif Jajah also noted that Ghana recently hosted an Afro-Gastro Competition that brought together African-descendant countries such as Barbados, Colombia, and Peru, and suggested similar partnerships with Guyana to celebrate shared gastronomy and heritage.
“A Guyana-Ghana Culture Week would be a wonderful opportunity for mutual benefit,” Hon. Jajah added. “It will help us raise the flags of both countries higher through our shared history and creativity.”
The visit forms part of the Guyanese delegation’s broader mission to familiarize themselves with Ghanaian culture and explore investment and partnership opportunities in the creative and tourism sectors.
Source: Delassie Mabel Awuku- PR Unit- MoTCCA
