Ghana, Denmark partner to preserve Osu heritage sites linked to slave trade history
Ghana and Denmark have entered into a new partnership aimed at preserving historical and cultural heritage sites in Osu, Accra, as part of efforts to strengthen historical memory and educate future generations.
The initiative, which will begin with an investment of GHC1.7 million, seeks to preserve sites connected to the shared history between the two countries, particularly those linked to the transatlantic slave trade and the former Danish presence in Ghana.
A Letter of Intent for the partnership was signed by the Embassy of Denmark in Ghana and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts on the sidelines of the high-level Consultative Conference on the Next Steps to the Landmark United Nations Resolution on the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans held in Accra from June 17 to 19.
Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, announced the development in a social media post on Thursday, June 25.
"Preserving our heritage sites and documenting the historical traces they hold are essential to safeguarding Ghana's ancestral knowledge and historical consciousness for generations to come," the Minister stated.
The project will focus on preserving and highlighting historical sites around the Osu Castle, formerly known as Christiansborg Fort during the Danish colonial era.
It will involve the digitalisation of heritage sites and the installation of landmark plaques at locations connected to Ghanaian-Danish history that currently remain unmarked.
According to the Ministry, the initiative is intended to make historical traces more visible and accessible to the public while encouraging reflection on the painful legacy of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.
Ms. Gomashie said the partnership demonstrates a shared commitment to preserving cultural memory and ensuring that younger generations learn from history.