The Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting ministries, departments and agencies to accelerate national development, as she highlighted the job creation potential of Ghana’s tourism, culture and creative industries.
She gave the assurance during a working visit to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, describing the engagement as part of a structured programme aimed at strengthening collaboration across government and identifying areas requiring support.
The Vice President explained that the initiative involves direct engagement with ministries to gain a clearer understanding of their operations and challenges, noting that similar visits had earlier been conducted at the Ministries of Health, Education, and Gender, Children and Social Protection. She said the current phase focuses on ministries headed by women, including Tourism, Trade and Fisheries.
“Our approach is to come to you, to listen, to learn, and to work with you,” Prof. Opoku Agyemang said, stressing that the visits were not inspections but opportunities to appreciate the daily realities of public service delivery. She added that some engagements would be unannounced in order to provide a more accurate picture of performance.
Touching on funding constraints, the Vice President urged agencies to prioritise efforts to grow national revenue rather than compete over budgetary allocations, arguing that economic expansion would ultimately ease resource pressures. She pointed to Ghana’s cultural heritage, tourism sites, cuisine and natural landscapes as underutilised assets that require better research, packaging and promotion.
She further emphasised the need for improved marketing, hospitality training, language skills, customer service and research to enhance visitor experience and strengthen Ghana’s national brand.
Welcoming the Vice President, the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, highlighted the creative industry’s capacity to drive job creation, youth empowerment and economic growth. Drawing on her long experience in the sector, she noted that mentorship and sustained encouragement were essential to nurturing talent.
According to the Minister, the energy and creativity of Ghana’s youth present significant opportunities for national development if adequately supported. She reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to expanding opportunities within the creative arts sector and introduced directors and heads of the ministry’s 13 agencies, describing the Vice President’s visit as a clear demonstration of government backing.
Reiterating government support, Prof. Opoku Agyemang assured officials that steps were being taken to address operational challenges, ensure prudent use of public resources and strengthen Ghana’s standing in the African and global tourism and creative space.
The visit concluded with a call for sustained collaboration among government institutions to unlock the full potential of Ghana’s tourism and creative industries as drivers of sustainable economic growth.
