The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, has told Parliament that Ghana raked in a total of GHC1, 881,803 million from tourists who visited the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Mausoleum here in Accra between January 2017 and September 2021.
Dr Awal explained that the amount was realised from 176,589 Ghanaians and 92,937 non-Ghanaians who visited the facility.
He made this known yesterday in Parliament when responding to a question asked by South Tongu Member, Kobena Mensah Woyome.
The NDC Member wanted to know the cumulative revenue the facility realised between the period under review and the steps the Ministry was taking to renovate the facility.
According to the data released by the Minister, in 2017, 41,010, Ghanaians, 15,605 non-Ghanaians and 223 protocol visitors patronised the facility generating for it GHC440,517 in the process.
In 2018, 64,915 visitors comprising of 46,848 Ghanaians, 17,883 non Ghanaians and 184 protocol visitors frequented the place generating for the state GH455, 272.
The year 2019 registered the highest returns for the state – GHC672,444 – with 50,265 Ghanaians and 47,930 non-Ghanaians and 364 protocol visitors.
With coronavirus biting hard in 2020, the facility saw a decline in visits which affected revenues in the process as it was able to raise GHC191,643 from 24,893 Ghanaian visitors, 6,467 non- Ghanaians.
As at the end of September this year, the facility has so far generated GHC121,869 from 13,573 Ghanaians and 5,052 non Ghanaians.
The facility, Dr Awal said was being rehabilitated to fit the iconic status of Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
“The Kwame Nkrumah Park is now being rehabilitated and it is going to be a comprehensive rehabilitation.
“The consultant has been procured and on Monday (November 22) we are meeting to review the plan he brought,” he revealed.
The rehabilitation, he itemised, would include additional administration block, shops, and eatery to make it a truly attractive edifice.
In a related development, Dr Awal in answer to a different question said the rehabilitation of the National Museums Gallery here in Accra was 95 per cent complete and would be fully completed by end of year and ready to be used in January 2022.
Established on the eve of Ghana’s independence in 1957, the facility was shut down in 2015 for its first renovation to give it a face-lift.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
