The money, she says will help in improving the state of roads at tourist sites, as well as improve sanitation in those places.

The World Bank earlier this year approved the $50 million dollar grant, to support the Ministry and its agencies to improve sector productivity for job creation.

Speaking to Citi Business News on the sidelines of the inaugural West Africa Intergrated Travel Forum, Madame Afeku said she was optimistic the money will help increase the tourism sector’s contribution to the GDP.

“Not a cent has been disbursed yet but between now and June the first tranche will come out. The money will be used for tourism development in the country. We’re talking about roads leading to the tourist site, sanitation around tourist sites, training as well as marketing.”

Madame Afeku added that a lot of work is being done in the background to lift the country’s tourism potential.

“It’s a work in progress, and I’m very excited about the prospects of the sector. In a year or two, Ghanaians should see major improvement in tourism, development in the country. If you don’t have a developed product no one will come and see your arts or culture. And if it’s a terrible experience you won’t get repeat business.”

The two-day West Africa Integrated Travel Forum was used to among other things begin a process of promoting joint marketing efforts amongst Tourism Boards and Authorities in the West African Sub-region.

The forum was also used to draw the attention of the related authorities and policy makers to the need to ease up travel blocks within the region.

The West Africa Integrated Travel Forum (WAIT) served as an avenue to link consumers with products and services across the sub-region and provide a joint platform for access to information, organize road shows, exhibitions and other joint promotional efforts.

Giving the welcome address, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Mr. Akwasi Agyeman emphasized the importance of trust to the growth of the tourism industry.

Mr. Agyeman also called on political and sector authorities within the sub-region to design policies and plans that will foster inclusive tourism growth, Intra-West Africa travel, and also contribute to openness for a borderless and interconnected sub-region.

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By: Bobbie Osei/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana

The post First tranche of World Bank tourism fund expected in June appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Minister urged Ghanaians to respect the dignity of the beloved singer.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ck2AYAiSMWJxrylvM7mYlNu1KiPDQxSk”]”I wish however to caution against the indiscriminate sharing of the accident images and ask that we respect the sanctity and dignity of our dear departed Sister in this very difficult time,” she stressed in a statement.

Some persons on social media have been seen sharing gory pictures of Ebony’s dead body and that of the two others involved in the accident, prompting some complaints from other users.

Mrs. Afeku’s statement also conveyed condolences to the bereaved family.

“I wish to convey to the family, industry, friends, fans, and well-wishers alike the sympathies of The President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, The Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture and the people of Ghana.
We will consult with the family to give our Songstress a befitting send-off.”

Ebony, whose real name is Priscilla Opoku-Kwarteng, was returning from Sunyani after visiting her mother who had returned from the UK, when the Jeep she was travelling in crashed into a VIP bus on Thursday evening, according to police.

Ebony was travelling with three other people, two of whom have also been confirmed dead.

The driver of the Jeep survived the crash, but most recent reports indicate that he is still unconscious and receiving treatment.

Find below the full statement

We have learnt with deep regret the sad passing of Hiplife, Highlife and Dancehall Super Star Ebony, through a fatal accident.

I wish to convey to the family, industry, friends, fans, and well-wishers alike the sympathies of The President of Ghana, Nana Akufo Addo, The Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture and the people of Ghana.
We will consult with the family to give our Songstress a befitting send-off.

I wish however to caution against the indiscriminate sharing of the accident images and ask that we respect the sanctity and dignity of our dear departed Sister in this very difficult time.

We mourn with the family and pray for God’s strength and guidance.

Catherine Abelema Afeku (MP)
Hon. Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to the minister, Ghanaians’ conception of the arts stems from the fact that people in movies and music are loud and are easily seen and heard.

She added that the absence of a database that captures the over hundred sectors of the Creative Arts Industry is another reason most arts disciplines have been consigned to the background.

“People are underestimating our industry to think it’s all about singing and acting just because of our limited imagination. The Creative Arts industry includes people drawing, people in fashion, sculpture and many other sectors. So we need to do stakeholder consultations so that we will get all actors in the industry,”

Speaking to Kofi Asante aka DJ Worshipper of A1 Radio in Bolgatanga, she also noted that “we are sitting here making noise because one or two people can sing or act so we should make creative arts about them.”

Catherine Afeku said plans were underway to collate data on the creative arts in order to have concrete information to work with.

The 2018 budget statement and economic policy highlighted government’s intention to make the creative sector more functional.

“Government will continue its initiatives to improve the Creative Arts sector with the establishment of a fully functional Creative Arts Secretariat and the commencement of feasibility studies to set up a Creative Arts Fund,” it states.

Apart from music and movies, other activities which fall under creative arts are photography, painting, sculpture, fashion, comedy, dance, poetry, creative writing, basketry, pottery, and others.

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By: Kwame Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The event will have President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo -Addo as the Special Guest.

The forum would bring together about 50 foreign media houses, 10 African Ministers, as well as Ambassadors, Chief Executive Officers of Tourism from other countries, and other stakeholders in the sector.

Mr. Akwesi Agyemang, acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, who announced this at a press conference to highlight activities for the event, said there would be a regional tour for the guests on October 9, to some interesting tourism sites and monuments in the Central Region, followed by a welcome cocktail in the evening at the National Theatre in Accra.

The CEO said the main event at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel on October 10, 2017, would be crowned with a Gala Dinner and Tourism Awards.

“On October 11, 2017, there will be another tour in the Greater Accra Region to interesting tourism sites,” he said, and appealed to the local media to collaborate with the Local Organizing Committee and the foreign media to sell the country to the outside world.

He said there would be a Regional Training for stakeholders in the sector from October 12 to 17, 2017, by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation in Accra, and urged the media to give the necessary support to the two events.

Mrs Catherine Afeku, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, said Ghana was chosen over other African countries to host the event because of her political stability.

She said the proverbial Ghanaian hospitality as well as the safety measures put in place to ensure visitors transact their businesses devoid of fear, also put Ghana high above other African countries.

The Minister noted that, the World Tourism Forum is a classical event that would need the support of the media to tell Ghana’s story to the world, and urged the local media to show the country’s genuine warmth, hospitality and generosity to their foreign counterparts.

Mrs. Afeku said after the forum, the GTA would issue a statement to showcase Ghana’s capability as a tourism destination in Africa, saying that, “let’s help the foreigners to see Ghana through our eyes”.

To the local media, she said, the forum is an opportunity for them to network with global media networks to sell themselves, and also by collaborating with the foreign media to sell Ghana’s tourism potentials.

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Source: GNA

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The mission was to check these sites and identify ways with which they could be developed.

The minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Evalue Ajomoro Dwira Constituency first visited the Western Regional Minister, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie at the Regional Coordinating Council in Sekondi.

She later paid a courtesy call on the Omanhene of the Essikadu Traditional Area, Nana Kobina Nketsia V at his palace at Essikadu.

Her entourage left the palace to meet with private sector actors in the tourism industry at the Palms by Eagles Lodge in Takoradi.

She explained government’s plans to revamp the tourism sector.

She also went to Axim in the Nzema East Municpality where she met with the traditional leaders in Lower Axim.

The chiefs assured her of their support.

The Bebo Ayzi Island was her next stop.

She and her entourage as well as the deputy Western Regional Minister, Gifty Eugenia Kusi were taken on a five minutes boat trip to the island.

She closed the day after she toured the Fort St. Antonio on the shores of Axim.

Day two started by her visit to Nkuroful, the birthplace of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

The team was told about some historical facts about Ghana’s first president.

It was followed by a visit to the newly built Maaha Beach Resort at Atuabo.

Day three begun with a courtesy call on the paramount chief of the Nsein Traditional Area, Awulae Agyevi Kwame II in the Nzema East Municipality.

The Minister’s vision to transform some tourist attraction sites in his jurisdiction received another boost when he assured her and her ministry of his support.

The team left for the adventurous jungle journey to the Anhu Nyame Stone Castle.  The team returned back to Axim to end day three of the tour.

Day four was first a courtesy call on the chiefs and people of the Eastern Nzema Traditional Area at Atuabo.

They were then taken to see the crocodile shrine.

Next stop was at the palace of the Paramount Chief of the Western Nzema Traditional Area at Benyin, Awulae Annor Adjaye III in the Jomoro District.

Awulea spoke on the need to develop other tourist attraction sites along the Nzulezo estuary.

It was now time for the journey to the village on stilt, Nzulezo.

She interacted with the chiefs and people at their town hall, also on stilt.

There were nice cultural displays by the children in the village.

The team left for Axim and latter to Accra after the tour.

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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Catherine Afeku’s four-day tour to Western Region in pictures appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mrs. Catherine paid courtesy calls on the Western Regional Minister and the Paramount Chief of the Essikadu Traditional Area, Nana Kobina Nketsia IV.

She also met with other private sector stakeholders within the tourism industry in the region.

She used the opportunity to tell them about government’s intentions of reviving the sector and to make it more attractive to Ghanaians and other tourists from around the world.

She said her Ministry has identified the poor hospitality standards in some of the facilities across the country, which will be addressed.

“The government is partnering some Swiss experts to help address the education and training deficit we see in the industry. Their modules are going to help us train our people to exhibit high customer relations among hoteliers and other related stakeholders. Our trained people will become trainers for others too.”

Some managers of traditional and modern hospitality facilities bemoaned the many taxes and other rates slapped on them in the face of utility hikes and low patronage.

“There is EPA dues, tourism levy, federation dues etc totaling some 18 individual dues.”

“The dues are too many and we wish your ministry could harmonize all of them in the face of the challenges facing the sector,” one hotelier bemoaned.

The Minister revealed plans are currently being considered to harmonize all the rates and also to seek some utility relief for the industry through an LI at the consideration stage in Parliament.

The Minister’s entourage then left for Axim in the Nzema East Municipality where she visited the traditional authority in the Lower Axim Traditional Area. They pledged their support for the Ministry’s vision to revamp some abandoned tourist sites in the Municipality.

It was then the time to visit the Bebo Ayizi Island some five minutes away from the Axim shores. She expressed her commitment to ensuring that the island is developed “to create jobs for our youth in Axim and to generate revenue for government and custodians of the island.”

Her day one visit ended after she and her entourage visited the Fort St. Antonio which has survived the test of time with its legendary artifacts since 1515.

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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The Chief of Kyeremankoma, had alleged that tour guides at the waterfall were sacked by some supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), few months after the party came into office.

[contextly_sidebar id=”5GSDCQ3Ygi9mI7YZgSn8C8khew97C4Qf”]But the Minister has stated that the Municipal Assembly was firmly in control of the facility contrary to reports that the vigilante group had taken over the site without the requisite expertise to manage the facility.

The Minister made this known in response to questions on the floor of Parliament.

“Mr. Speaker, on the sad day that the tragedy occurred as I alluded to this august house a day after my team, the Vice President of the republic of this nation and other stakeholders visited the site, we did not see any illegal occupation when we visited the site,” the Minister said.

Catherine Afeku also announced that, the Waterfalls will be re-opened to the public on September 1st, 2017.

She stated that, the safety audit of the facility was still underway.

At least 18 persons were confirmed dead after a huge tree run off the top of the Kintampo waterfall, and descended unto dozens of revelers swimming beneath the fall.

The incident was the most catastrophic domestic tourism accident in Ghana in the last few years.

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By: Marian Ansah & Duke Mensah Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post Invisible Forces didn’t seize Kintampo Waterfalls – Afeku appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

25 of the ministers vetted out of the 36, have already been sworn in, though one of the ministers, Otiko Djaba, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, has been sued by two Minority MPs following her approval by parliament.

Two NDC MPs, MP for Ashaiman, Ernest Norgbey, and the MP for Juaboso, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, filed a writ at the Supreme Court to revoke the appointment of Madam Djaba praying the court to nullify her nomination and swearing-in due to her failure to undertake the mandatory national service.

The Minority in Parliament had kicked against and subsequently boycotted her approval in Parliament.

Another Minister nominee, Catherine Afeku may face similar problems following her admission she too did not undertake the mandatory national service.

Bribery scandal

The vetting committee was also rocked by a bribery scandal after some allegations made by some members of the Minority Caucus on the Appointments Committee.

A Minority member of the Committee, Mahama Ayariga, alleged that the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, attempted to bribe the Minority members to secure approval of his nomination.

Mr. Ayariga said Mr. Agyarko tried bribing 10 Minority members on the Committee with GHc 3,000 each.

The Railways Development Minister, also former Attorney-General, Joe Ghartey, has been tasked to lead a five-member committee approved by Parliament, to investigate the bribery scandal.

The committee was given 30 days to come out with its findings.

Find below the list of ministers vetted

Ministers approved and sworn-in

Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo-Maafo

Minister of Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh

Minister of Interior, Ambrose Dery

Minister for National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah

Minister for Railway Development, Joe Ghartey

Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation, Anthony Akoto Osei

Minister for Planning, George Yaw Gyan-Baffour

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama

Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba

Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, Boakye Agyarko

Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta

Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen

Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul

Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwesi Amoako Atta

Minister of Communication, Ursula Owusu Ekuful

Minister of Health,  Kwaku Agyeman Manu

Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto

Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Gloria Afua Akuffo

Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea

Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Joseph Kofi Adda

Minister for Regional Reorganization and Development, Dan Kweku Botwe

Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu

Minister of Transport, Kweku Ofori Asiamah

Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Ignatius Bafuor Awuah

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey

Ministers awaiting approval

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu

Minister for Special Development Initiative, Mavis Hawa Koomson

Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye

Minister of Inner cities and Zongo Development, Abubakar Boniface Siddique

Minister of Business Development, Ibrahim Mohammed Awal

Minister for Information, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid

Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Kofi Dzamesi

Minister of Aviation, Cecelia Dapaah

Minister of Youth and Sports, Isaac Asiamah

Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Catherine Ablema Afeku

Minister for Planning, Professor Gyan Baffour

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Parliament completes vetting of sector ministers appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

“We are all in agreement that domestic tourism is not an area of focus for the nation so I have come up with a domestic tourism initiative that we intend to start at the Ministry once given the nod …” said the Minister Nominee when she appeared before Parliament’s Appointments Committee.

She said the Ministry will enforce this initiative by ensuring staff of the Tourism Ministry visit various tourist sites and report what they have observed and experienced.

This , she believes, will also influence the Ministry’s programmes and policies aimed at rejuvenating domestic tourism.

“We will come back with some of these ideas from outside the country where the staff of the Ministry and its agencies and departments will be encouraged to save…They will visit the tourist sites and report back to the Ministry. They  will also be able to report back on the statures and nature of some of these tourist sites. And thirdly, they will have the opportunity to rejuvenate and bring up to speed. “

Ghana has a number of tourist sites but just a few are consistently patronized by Ghanaians.

About Catherine Afeku

Catherine Afeku is 49 years old, and our Member of Parliament for Evalue-Gwira-Ajomoro – her 2nd term in parliament. She hails from Axim, and holds Bachelor of Science and Master’s Degrees in Business Administration.

She has worked with the World Bank, with Stico Petroleum in Kenya as a Business Development Consultant, and a bilingual instructor at the Inlingua School of languages, Brescia, Italy.

Between 2006 and 2008, she was the NPP government spokesperson on infrastructure. She is married with 3 children.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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She said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government will in its first term get a division in the fast track high court to create the enforcement unit and also draft a new legislation to protect the intellectual property of persons in the creative arts industry.

Speaking before Parliament’s Appointments Committee during her vetting on Monday [February 6, 2017], she called on parliament to support the development of the legislation to ensure that the works of creative artistes are protected.

“Piracy is a real threat to the creative arts industry. The 1995 copyrights act is there; but needs to be beefed up to support the people in the creative arts industry. These are some of the well-intended thoughts and visions that we can start in our first term,” she said.

“Getting a division in the fast track court to create an enforcement unit for those who break the law by pirating the works and arts of our people are punished,” she added.

The former President of the Musicians Union of Ghana, Alhaji Sidiku Buari (MUSIGA) in an address in 2005 said the Union lost about GH¢2million the previous year through music piracy.

“If piracy is not checked, we would lose further billions of cedis to it because they do not pay taxes or royalties to the MUSIGA,” he said.

But Catherine Afeku said the ministry under her leadership will address the challenge.

She described as disappointing the phenomenon of foreigners illegally selling reproduced local programs and contents on CDs, pledging that the ministry will consider as urgent the development of the legislation for parliamentary approval to help punish the culprits.

‘We’ll create a fund for creative arts’

Catherine Afeku said she was ready to implement the NPP’s manifesto promise to create a fund to support actors in the industry to serve as a support mechanism for them.

‘Marketing Ghana’

She noted that, they will seriously consider the creation of a tourism bureau at the country’s  airport, to serve as the first port of call to foreigners visiting Ghana to get data and information about Ghana and the opportunities available in the country.

According to her, the ministry will tap into the opportunity of using Social media and foreign missions to also brand the country in a positive light.

She added that, Ghana had secured a slot with the American satellite television channel, CNN to be hosted for an interview as a way of promoting the country to gain worldwide attention.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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