The Special Envoy for Reparations, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, has called for closer collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts (MOTCCA) and its agencies to drive the reparations agenda, leveraging tourism and heritage as key tools for economic and cultural development.

Ghana seeks to intensify efforts to restore its historic forts and castles through tourism-led reparations, with plans to raise $100 million to preserve the nation’s heritage.

| MoTCCA/Facebook (Pic): Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah

Welcoming the engagement, Deputy Minister (MoTCCA) Yussif Issaka Jajah reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to restoring Ghana’s forts and castles.

He acknowledged concerns raised by UNESCO over the deteriorating conditions of these historic sites but emphasised that the ministry remains ready to partner in mobilising resources despite funding challenges and stalled rehabilitation efforts.

| MoTCCA/Facebook (Pic): 

Ghana’s forts and castles, including the Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle in the Central Region, Fort Christiansborg in Accra, and Fort San Sebastian in Shama, are renowned for their historical significance in the trans-Atlantic slave trade and continue to attract tourists from around the world. These sites are not only key cultural landmarks but also vital to Ghana’s tourism and heritage sectors, which make significant contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP).

The ministry’s renewed pledge highlights its dedication to safeguarding Ghana’s heritage, promoting tourism, and ensuring that the country’s historic forts and castles are preserved for future generations.