Tourism Minister calls for demolition of illegal structures around Ghana’s forts, castles
The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Dzifa Gomashie, has called for the removal of unauthorised structures around Ghana’s forts and castles, warning that the encroachment is threatening the country’s cultural heritage.
She said illegal developments around the sites were undermining their appearance, historical integrity and long-term preservation.
Speaking at a symposium on the Korea-Ghana Heritage Project in Accra, the minister emphasised the need for greater engagement with communities living near heritage sites. She noted that involving residents and explaining the importance of the sites could help reduce resistance to the removal of illegal structures.
According to her, communities are often left out of discussions surrounding the protection of heritage sites, making it difficult for them to understand why the government seeks to demolish unauthorised developments.
She described the scale of encroachment around some forts and castles as alarming and said urgent measures were needed to protect their buffer zones.
The minister stressed that safeguarding Ghana’s cultural heritage requires a collective effort involving the government, traditional leaders, local communities and other stakeholders.
She therefore called for a coordinated strategy to preserve the country’s forts, castles and other heritage assets for future generations.
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