Focus must be on Kwame Nkrumah Park
The Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Mausoleum, the final resting place of Ghana’s first President, has been in the spotlight this week following its inauguration after a major facelift.
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For the 30 years or more that the facility that was constructed by former President J J Rawlings had existed, the park had never received any attention in terms of a facelift.
President Nana Addo Dankwa last Tuesday joined some Ghanaians and foreigners to inaugurate a newly renovated Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park.
The occasion was not only welcoming and spectacular but was also a proud moment for all Ghanaians and all Pan Africanists.
It was historic, especially when it was initiated and accomplished by a government which traces its roots from the United Party (UP) tradition.
The UP and the Convention People’s Party (CPP), birthed by Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, are historically perceived to be politically and ideologically far apart.
It is worthy of note that what the government, led by President Akufo-Addo had done with the support of funding from the World Bank is commendable and could make Dr Nkrumah turn in his grave.
It has indeed given meaning to the saying that “Nkrumah never dies.”
While the Daily Graphic joins many Ghanaians to commend the government for honouring the legacy of the former President, we seize the opportunity to remind the agencies managing the park to project and market it.
This is because the country stands to rake in more revenue from tourists the world over with the current features of the park.
As a personality who more or less stood and fought for the total liberation of the African continent for colonial rule, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s stature as an iconic Ghanaian and Pan Africanist has come alive and this affords Ghanaians the opportunity to refresh their memories of his exploits.
The renovated park boasts a presidential library, a reception facility, an amphitheater, a restaurant, a freedom hall and a digitalised payment and access system.
There is also the refurbished tombstone which has been upgraded with marble, and the museum expanded with an audio-visual tunnel where the voices and images of the former President can be heard and seen.
It will not be in doubt that, after a year or two, the country will start reaping the returns.
The Daily Graphic is cautioning that the attitude of the workers at the park must be one that in itself reflects the ideals and posture of Dr Nkrumah.
That is to say, they must exhibit high professional standards.
The point needs to be emphasised that it takes more than just structures to revive patronage at the park which is estimated to move from 90,000 to more than a million tourists.
We believe that the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Ibrahim Awal, who implemented the vision of the government in ensuring that the renovation was successfully executed, will keep to the charge of keeping the park well maintained.
In as much as we celebrate almost every new development as Ghanaians, we easily go to sleep, leaving such facilities to be in ruins.
Typical examples are the famous Philip Quaque School in Cape Coast in the Central Region, the house of Dr Kwame Nkrumah at Nkroful in the Western Region and the many forts and castles dotted across the country.
Many of these potential tourist attractions have been left partially developed.
Many national and potential tourist attractions such as the national museum which, like the Kwame Nkrumah Park, was renovated and inaugurated recently was also left to its fate after so many years.
Until recently, the national museum was not attractive to many visitors.
It is in this vein that we urge the government through the Tourism Ministry to fulfil its pledge of ensuring that roads leading to many of the tourist sites across the country are renovated or constructed.
This is because it takes more than just structures and their beauty to get the numbers.
With safe, passable and easily accessible roads complementing the facilities, all tourist sites stand to make profit and, ultimately, the economy will be the biggest beneficiary.
