Dzifa Gomashie orders demolition of illegal structures around Forts and Castles

The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Dzifa Gomashie, has called for the removal of unauthorised structures encroaching on Ghana’s forts and castles, warning that the developments pose a threat to the country’s cultural heritage.

She said the growing encroachment was undermining the aesthetic appeal, integrity and long-term preservation of some of Ghana’s most important heritage sites.

Speaking at a symposium on the Korea-Ghana Heritage Project in Accra, Ms Gomashie stressed the need for stronger engagement with communities living around heritage sites before measures are taken to remove illegal structures.

She explained that inadequate engagement with affected communities often resulted in resistance to efforts to protect and preserve the sites.

“Often, we leave out the engagement with the community. And so they don’t see the importance of why our, for example, call for the demolition of illegal structures around the forts and castles,” she said.

The Minister expressed concern over the scale of encroachment around some heritage sites and called for urgent measures to protect their designated buffer zones.

“If I show you pictures of the encroachment on the buffer for the forts and castles, you will join me in doing Aluta,” she remarked.

Ms Gomashie said the protection of Ghana’s cultural heritage could not be achieved by government alone, stressing the importance of collaboration among state institutions, traditional authorities, local communities and other stakeholders.

She called for a coordinated and sustainable approach to managing the country’s forts, castles and other heritage assets to ensure that they are preserved for future generations.