Ghana’s Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to cultural diplomacy and creative industry development during an engagement at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Accra.
The event, held as part of the Cultural Connect Programme, aimed to bolster Cultural and Creative exchange between Ghana and the Netherlands was hosted by Ms. Wendy Van Meel, the Deputy Head of Mission and brought together stakeholders from both countries to explore deeper collaboration in the Tourism, Culture and Creative sectors.
Ms. Van Meel expressed optimism about the growing partnership, noting the Embassy’s readiness to strengthen ties with Ghana’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts to support industry development.
In her address, Hon. Gomashie highlighted the vital role Culture, and the Creative Arts play in Ghana’s national development, particularly within the Tourism sector, which she said contributes significantly to the country’s GDP and cultural identity.
She outlined the Ministry’s evolution from a tourism-focused agency to its current integrated structure, which formally recognized Culture and Creative Arts under an executive instrument in 2013, reaffirmed in 2025. The Minister acknowledged the advocacy of stakeholders in achieving this milestone and expressed gratitude to the President for his support.
Calling for increased respect and investment in the creative sector, Hon. Gomashie cited its employment potential, using popular artist Stonebwoy’s events as examples of job creation across legal, administrative, and technical fields.
She urged Ghanaian representatives abroad to use diplomatic platforms such as embassy events and national celebrations to promote Ghanaian creatives, emphasizing, “We are not in short supply of creativity; what we lack are opportunities to exhibit it.”
Hon. Gomashie also underscored the importance of preserving Ghana’s indigenous languages, commending the work of the Bureau of Ghana Languages, a key agency under her Ministry.
The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts currently oversees 13 major institutions, including the Ghana Tourism Authority and the National Commission on Culture.
The event concluded with a shared commitment from both Ghana and the Netherlands to deepen cultural collaboration and harness the creative industries as engines of economic growth and international partnership.
Source: Delassie Mabel Awuku, PR Unit- MoTCCA
