Accra, June 10, 2026 – The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts has called for sustained parliamentary support to address key challenges confronting the sector and accelerate efforts to position Ghana as a leading tourism destination and cultural hub in Africa.
The appeal was made during a meeting between officials of the Ministry and members of Parliament’s Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism, led by its Chairman, Hon. Alexander Hottordze. The Ministry was represented by the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Yussif Issaka Jajah, on behalf of the sector Minister, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie.
Addressing the Committee, Hon. Jajah underscored the importance of tourism, culture and creative arts as critical drivers of economic growth, job creation, foreign exchange earnings and community development. He outlined the Ministry’s vision of leveraging the sector for sustainable national development through effective policies, strategic partnerships, private sector participation and diaspora engagement.
The Deputy Minister disclosed that the Ministry’s Medium-Term Development Plan (2026–2029) aims to increase tourism revenue by 50 percent and boost both international and domestic visitor arrivals by 70 percent by 2029. The plan also seeks to increase revenue from the culture and creative arts sector by 40 percent through strategic partnerships, market expansion, digital innovation and support for creative enterprises.
Highlighting recent achievements, Hon. Jajah noted Ghana’s successful inscription of Highlife Music on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the launch of the Ghana Tourism Marketplace and Ghana Tourism Investment Platform, and the training of 488 tourism service providers. He further indicated that 193 students had graduated through programmes under the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Training Institute (HOTCATT).
The Deputy Minister also revealed that Government had allocated GH¢40 million to support the film and creative arts sectors, including GH¢20 million for the Film Development Fund. Additionally, a US$30 million grant had been secured from China for the rehabilitation and modernization of the National Theatre of Ghana.
Other achievements highlighted included the increased visibility of the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, whose social media following grew from about 475 to more than 14,000 within eight months, as well as progress made by the National Folklore Board in securing royalties from 70 entities and enhancing the monetisation of Ghana’s cultural assets.
Despite these gains, Hon. Jajah identified inadequate funding, delayed budget releases, infrastructure deficits, obsolete equipment, weak ICT systems, human resource shortages and low enrolment at HOTCATT as major challenges hindering the sector’s growth. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to implementing transformative policies and programmes to unlock the sector’s full potential.
Responding, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism, Hon. Alexander Hottordze, assured the Ministry of the Committee’s commitment to supporting efforts aimed at addressing the challenges facing the sector.
He described the engagement as long overdue, noting that although the Committee had existed for about one and a half years, it had not previously met with the Ministry and its agencies to gain a deeper understanding of their operations, achievements and constraints.
Hon. Hottordze explained that parliamentary oversight of the tourism sector is shared between the Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism and another committee responsible for culture and related agencies. He reiterated the Committee’s constitutional mandate to investigate and inquire into the activities and administration of ministries, departments, agencies and other public institutions.
The Chairman acknowledged the challenges outlined by the Ministry, including inadequate and delayed budgetary allocations, logistical constraints, insufficient vehicles, dilapidated infrastructure, obsolete equipment and skills gaps. He also stressed the need for enhanced training and improvements at HOTCATT.
Hon. Hottordze assured the Ministry that the Committee had taken note of the concerns raised and would explore avenues to support the sector in overcoming them and enhancing its contribution to Ghana’s socio-economic development.
Source: PR UNIT- MoTCCA
