Source : Sankofaonline News Desk -August 23, 2026
The Bono Region witnessed a forceful and high‑impact opening to the working tour of the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Sir Ablah Dzifa Gomashie, whose arrival signaled a renewed national seriousness toward cultural preservation, tourism development, and the uncompromising protection of state lands.
Her Day One engagements began with a dignified reception from the Regional Minister, Hon. Joseph Addae Akwabia, Esq., and the Regional Coordinating Council. The Minister described the discussions as uplifting and strategically energizing, noting that the synergy between the Ministry and regional leadership will accelerate the region’s cultural and tourism transformation. Hon. Akwabia, drawing on his legal expertise, assured her of his unwavering commitment to safeguarding state interests, particularly lands and cultural properties under the tourism portfolio.
Land Encroachment: A Growing Threat to Cultural Expansion
A central theme of the Minister’s visit was the escalating threat of land encroachment. In recent years, illegal occupation of lands belonging to the Ministry, the Center for National Culture (CNC), and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has become a major obstacle to national development. These lands are not mere plots, they are the foundation upon which Ghana’s cultural future must be built.
Encroachment directly undermines plans for:
- Performance arts centers
- Craft villages
- Heritage site expansion
- Tourism infrastructure
Without these lands, the sector’s long‑term vision remains stalled.
Confronting this crisis head‑on, the Minister issued a clear, uncompromising warning to trespassers, developers, and all who attempt to convert state lands into private property:
“The lands for the sector remain the lands for the sector. KEEP OFF.”
Her declaration marks a new era of vigilance, accountability, and disciplined stewardship, an era in which cultural and tourism lands will no longer be quietly eroded by private interests.
Sankofaonline Commends Bold Leadership
At Sankofaonline, we commend Honorable Gomashie for her clarity, courage, and unwavering leadership. Protecting state lands is not simply an administrative duty, it is a national obligation. These lands hold the future of Ghana’s creative economy, cultural identity, and tourism potential.
Her decisive stance provides the exact leadership required at a time when encroachment threatens to cripple the sector’s growth. By confronting the issue directly, she has reaffirmed that Ghana’s cultural heritage is not for sale, not for negotiation, and certainly not for encroachment.
Minister Gomashie’s commanding entry into Bono sets the tone for a tour, and a tenure, defined by collaboration, cultural duty, and fearless protection of the national interest.
