The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has issued a strong call for urgency, accountability and measurable outcomes in the implementation of the Accra Marine Enclave Limited Project, warning that delays can no longer be tolerated.
She made the remarks at the inauguration of the project’s Board of Directors, where she stressed that the Marine Drive initiative must return to a disciplined and results-driven implementation path to safeguard the national interest and ensure value for money.
“The public expects results,” the Minister said, reminding board members that the project is a flagship national investment with the capacity to create jobs, attract private capital and transform Ghana’s coastal tourism economy.
Gomashie noted that despite its strategic importance, the Marine Drive Project has experienced prolonged delays, and cautioned that transparency, professionalism and accountability must guide every decision taken by the Board. She emphasised that the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts remains the Board’s principal policy anchor and urged close alignment with government priorities to address long-standing implementation bottlenecks.
She assured the Board of her readiness to provide strategic support and timely intervention but made it clear that governance discipline would be non-negotiable. Placing the project within a broader national context, the Minister recalled that the Marine Drive vision was first launched in 2016 under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama and charged the Board to protect that vision by delivering a legacy project for future generations.
Responding on behalf of the Board, the Chair and Deputy Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Yussif Issaka Jajah, welcomed the Minister’s directive and pledged swift action to restore momentum to the project.
“The Ministry remains our principal policy and strategic guide, and we will work closely with it to restore confidence in the Marine Drive Project,” he said.
Mr Jajah disclosed that the Board would immediately establish a technical committee, review existing proposals and begin engagements with stakeholders and potential investors early in the new year as part of efforts to reposition the project.
The five-member Board comprises Mr Jajah as Chair, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Mrs Maame Efua Houadjeto; the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Development Company, Prof. Kobby Mensah; the Director for Culture and Creative Arts at the Ministry, Divine Owusu-Ansah; and a private sector representative Kwame Atta Acheampong, with the Chief Director of the Ministry serving as an ex-officio member.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by senior officials of the Ministry and its agencies, including the Director for Tourism, Dr Geoffrey Tamakloe; the Director for Administration, Kofi Ohene-Benning; and deputy chief executives of the Ghana Tourism Authority and the Ghana Tourism Development Company.
