THE PRESIDENTIAL REST

Museums are the base where objects of arts and science are collected and cared for. More essentially, they make these objects available for the public viewing. that is why museums are key points visited by tourists.

Today, a day after the seven days marking the death of the our former president, H.E. Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, l hear the committee responsible for the planning of the funeral have announced that he will be buried at the special place allocated at the Presidential Palace (Flagstaff House).

Many people have had their own opinions about the place. Some have asked questions, some have supported and some are totalll not sure where they belong in the issue.

I wish to bring to light what l think about this, Ayalolo Ghana.

Ayalolo Ghana, when l heard of this, the first thing that flashed my mind was, this is another opportunity for Ghana to gain recognition and bag in huge revenue in the area of tourism.

Ayalolo Ghana, let me take you back a little.

Since the early 1980s when the erstwhile PNDC government embarked on IMF and World Bank prescribed Economic Recovery Programme and Structural Adjustment Programme (ERP/SAP), the tourism industry in Ghana has experienced sustained steady increase in tourist arrivals from 145,780 in 1990 to 399,000 in 2000 and projected to be around 698,069 in 2008.


The Ministry of Tourism was established in 1993 to underscore its commitment to tourism development. Like most African countries, attempts to develop a viable tourism industry in Ghana can be traced to the early part of the post independence period.


Tourism has become one of the main pillars that hold the Ghanaian economy. It currently contributes 6.7% to GDP and ranks as fourth highest in terms of foreign exchange earnings after Gold, Cocoa and foreign remittances. Therefore the socio-economic advancement for a non-industrialized economy like the Ghanaian economy, hinges to a large extent on the growth of the tourism industry.


The industry is labour intensive, currently accounting for 5.9% of total employment in Ghana and could therefore help alleviate the unemployment problem in the country.


Tourism also holds the key to unlocking the entrepreneurship potentials of the Ghanaian youth as it provides a ready market for several products and services such as transport, handicrafts, accommodation, food, cleaning and security, to mention a few.


žIt is against this background that there is great cause for concern about the recent negative growth experienced by the hospitality segment of the industry as reported in the budget statement for 2012.



žThe hotels and restaurant segment experienced a negative growth rate of -11% though it was projected to grow by 13.5%. This is not the first time that growth projections for the sector have not been achieved but this is the worst performance of the sector in recent times and should certainly raise eyebrows. This gloomy state of affairs could be partly attributed to the global financial crisis but more importantly, non-implementation of tourism policies, inadequate research and marketing efforts, high cost of doing business in Ghana and low level of domestic tourism. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the growth rate of GDP for the travel and tourism industries slowed by 1.0% in 2008, the weakest performance since the 2001-2003 recessions.

Challenges

INTERNATIONAL

Since tourism is a global industry, Ghana's tourism industry is not insulated from the effects of the financial crisis. Though international tourist arrivals increased by about 16% between 2007 and 2008, receipts per arrival decreased by about 12%, from about US$2000 in 2007 to about $1770 in 2008 according to the GTA. The global economic meltdown nonetheless has contributed to the negative growth experienced by the hospitality segment of the tourism industry in Ghana.

LOCAL

The research and marketing efforts of Ghana as a destination, which is normally undertaken by the Ghana Tourist Authority is inadequate mainly due to the insufficiency of resources at its disposal.

Ayalolo Ghana, with this long background, l think the recent misfortune of our dear country is one great opportunity for us to create one great museum for the world to visit and appreciate in relations to presidency.

Ayalolo Ghana, now you view this, we always cry and go out there asking for loans and support from foreign countries. We did the same and today, the India Government in partnership with Ghana jointly built the Golden Jubilee House called the Flag Staffhouse. Today we are going to turn some part of the place as a cemetry to bury past, current and yet to come presidents of this great country.

I wonder one thing, Ayalolo Ghana, have the people who proposed this, thought of the what the Indian government will be thinking about us (Ghana). Indirectly, we are telling them that we allowed them to invest into our economy to build a cemetry. Was this our priority as a country in building that gangantuan palace; Ayalolo Ghana?

Now back to the issue of tourism, let us imagine the seat of government
,which is the Osu Castle, a place where our forefathers suffered, went through pain and some cursed their stars out of pain before they were finally sent to another land in the name of slavery be turned to a Presidential Museum?

 A place where the histroy of our past presidents, current and yet to come have their tombs at the place. The castle would not only talk about the presidents but would also tell the world about the what Ghana's presidency have being.

Today, Ayalolo Ghana, the history of our dear country's presidents have being told in soo many different ways that you sometimes wonder which one is the truth. Lets take a look at the history of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana as an example.

Another very important issue secondly, is the amount of money that this country would be bagging as revenue if the place is turned into a presidential museum.

A place that talks about of Ghana and her leadership history.

We as a people must come together and realise that the Flagstaff House must become the seat of government and the Castle should be our place of reference of; "where we are coming from, where we have gotten to and where we want to be as a people".

Ayalolo Ghana, you still have your own thought but in my own mind, this is not politics, this is not individualism, this is not party colours but THIS IS OUR DEAR COUNTRY GHANA and it goes beyond all of us.

Lets not forget,

"Much have be achieved, must have being done before we were born so we must be modest as we move on as a people".

Ayalolo Ghana, I just want you to ask yourself,

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR GRANDCHILDREN CONCERNING GHANA IN YOUR YOUNG AGE?

DO YOU HAVE REFERENCES?

IF YOU DON'T, LETS RE-THINK AGAIN AS A PEOPLE.

Handwriting of:
frankiewills

Reference:
....Hoff and Overgaard Planning Consultants (1974) Tourism in Ghana:

.....Development Guide 1975-1990 ; A Master Feasibility Study Presented to the Government of Ghana, Copenhagen: The Danish International Development Agency.

Ghana Tourist Board (1999) Tourism Statistical Fact Sheet on Ghana, Accra, Ghana: Ghana Tourism Authority, Research Department.

•Addo, N .O. et al., (1975) The Impact of Tourism on Social Life in Ghana: Accra,

Ghana: Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, University of Ghana.