Mrs Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, Ghana’s minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture revealed that the government is planning to convert the Christianborg Castle into a museum of leadership and governance.
Speaking at an event to introduce tourists to some of the tourist facilities in Accra, Mrs Oteng Gyasi said the aim is to turn what used to be Ghana’s seat of government into a world-class museum to attract both local and international guests.
The Minister who joined the tourist to tour locations including the Kwame Nkrumah Museum, the Osu Castle and the Dubois Centre was in line with preparations for PANAFEST and the highly publicized Year of Return.
“It is paramount for tourists to have good impressions about our sites so that they go back with fantastic reports in order to also drive in more tourists.“She urged
She also used the opportunity to call on managers of these facilities to ensure that the sites were in good condition and promised the Ministry’s help in preserving it.
About Christianborg Castle
The modern-day Osu Castle which is also known as Fort Christianborg or sometimes the Castle was built by the Danes and Norwegians in 1661. It’s been rebuilt so many times and has changed hands from both European settlers including Portugal, Britain and even a local tribe, the Akwamus.
The castle has been the seat of government for most of its history but in 2008 Ghana’s then-president John Kufuor and his administration moved the seat to the Jubilee House. It is currently the final resting place of former President, Prof John E. A Mills with a bird sanctuary that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean.
Many international dignitaries have visited the castle while in the region, including U.S. Presidents Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama and German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. Additional rooms were built in order to accommodate Queen Elizabeth II‘s visit in 1961, one year after Ghana became a republic.