The castle, famed for both the good, bad and ugly tales, earned both notoriety and awe during the heady days of former president Rawlings, then chairman Rawlings, whose reign of terror, caused many to shiver in fear at the mere mention of the castle.

An invitation to the castle on air was enough to Trigger a dirge.

The tales about the castle, built by Danes in 1661, are many and varied. They range from alleged torture of political detainees to church sermons, all surrounding the various presidents who once occupied it.

Almost every president starting from Kwame Nkrumah to Atta Mills, who died in office, operated from the former slave castle.

But barely five years after the demise of president Mills who last occupied it, the once fearsome edifice, now a presidential museum, is fast deteriorating.

Filth has taken the better part of sections of the building, while presidential limousines, which once carried the number of gentlemen of the country, have been left at the vagaries of the weather.

Limousines of General Acheampong, former presidential Rawlings, and Kufuor are just at mercy of nature.

The ravages of the sea are telling on rusty metals, and cracked structural work.

The cycle of deterioration is disturbing, giving that the edifice with its contents, if well preserved by the Authorities could earn the country millions of dollars in revenue annually.

And did you know that the room that Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the second occupied , in 1957 and 1960 is still being kept intact at the castle, complete with the WC bowl , et all?

Think of how many people would like to feel the bed on which the Queen of England once slept, and you will understand the paradox of poverty in the midst of wealth.

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By: Aidoo Portia

The post Osu Castle deteriorating over poor maintenance culture appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The presidential museum is a legacy project as part of the “Ghana: 60 Years On celebration” which is themed: “Mobilising for Ghana’s future.”

President Akufo-Addo said the museum was an indication of the special attention his administration would pay towards the development and promotion of tourism.

The Ministry of Tourism was tasked to spearhead the transformation of the former seat of the presidency into a museum, and given the rich history of the castle, which was built in 1661 by the Danes, President Akufo-Addo opined that the castle was the “perfect location to house a museum which celebrates the achievements and the lives of the presidents who spend their time working in it.”

The ultimate vision of the presidential museum, according to the President, “is to have a state of the art museum that will house presidential artefacts, presidential papers, wax works of our president, and also have on display personal possessions like books, artwork and items of clothing to allow us to honour appropriately their memories.”

Special independence exhibit opened

President Akufo-Addo also opened an art exhibition showcasing Ghana in the independence years, which he expressed hope would inspire Ghanaians towards nation building.

“60 years on, I am honoured to open this exhibition commemorating the 60-year-old journey, Ghana: the road to independence. This exhibition pays homage to our forbearers whose blood, sweat and toil, won us our independence.”

The exhibition, in the President’s words,” showcased everyday people ranging from farmers to market women, without whose contributions our independence would have remained a pipe dream.”

The exhibition also features statesmen like Joseph Ephraim, Casely Hayford, Kwabena Sakyi, Paa Grant, the Big Six and other historical icons.

“I entreat the general public to come and see the interesting exhibits on display and learn about our history and I hope as many children as possible will get the chance to see this exhibition too. I pray this exhibition inspires Ghanaians to use their talents and energies to do something in the own small way to boost Ghana’s development in line with the theme for the 60th anniversary.”

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

The post Nana Addo commissions Osu castle as presidential museum appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

One of these monuments will be a Heads of State Museum which the committee has said will be located at the former seat of the Presidency, the Osu Castle, also known as the Christianborg Castle.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, the Spokesperson of the National Planning Committee of Ghana: 60 Years On, Jefferson Sackey, explained that the Osu Castle will be a centralized place for the curation of mementoes of past Ghana Heads of States.

“You are not now going to look at building something fresh. You are looking at a place where the location or the vicinity is part of history and so the choice is, for example, the Christiansborg or Osu Castle because at the end of the day you know that is where almost all our heads of state lived.”

Mr. Sackey however downplayed concerns arising from the ties of the Osu castle, built by Denish-Norwegians in the 1660s, to slavery, saying it remained “part of history” and that “it is historically a very key place for us to have a museum like that.”

As far as the cost is concerned, Mr. Sackey said the amount was still be worked out, though he assured that there were significant pledges made that gives the committee little cause for worry.

“We had a substantial amount of money being pledged when the logo was unveiled. Now it is up to the subcommittee responsible for sponsorship to follow up.”

The 60th-anniversary celebration will cost an estimated GHc 20 million, and Mr. Sackey said all the major initiatives, from the innovation challenge to the plan to building 60 libraries in 60 deprived communities, have been factored in the estimated cost.

“In this instance, the calculation of the GHc 20 million includes everything. It includes the building of the Heads of State Museum. It includes the march past that we are having not just in Accra but across the length and breadth of our country.”

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

The post Ghana@60: Osu Castle to house Heads of State museum appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.