GTA denies replacing Akan and Ewe greetings with Ga inscription at Nkrumah Memorial Park
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The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has refuted claims that it replaced Akan and Ewe inscriptions on the welcome signage at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra with a Ga greeting.
Social media reports alleged that the greetings ‘Akwaaba’ (Akan) and ‘Woezor’ (Ewe) had been removed and substituted with the Ga word ‘Oobakɛ.’ These claims emerged following previous calls by some members of the Ga community for their language to be represented on the park’s signage.
In an official statement, GTA Chief Executive Officer, Maame Efua Houadjeto, dismissed the reports as false.
She wrote,
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We wish to categorically state that at no point has the Ghana Tourism Authority ordered or approved the replacement of the culturally significant greetings ‘Woezor’ (in Ewe) and ‘Akwaaba’ (in Akan) with ‘Oobakɛ
She clarified that the inscriptions remain unchanged, continuing to reflect Ghana’s cultural diversity. Mrs Houadjeto further noted that any alterations to the signage would require formal approval from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, alongside the relevant regulatory bodies.
Emphasising the Authority’s position, she added that the GTA had no knowledge of, nor had it sanctioned, any modification. She therefore urged the public to disregard the misinformation and continue to embrace the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park as a symbol of national heritage.
The controversy stems from concerns expressed by sections of the Ga community, who believe their language has been marginalised in national infrastructure located on Ga land.
The debate has also extended to Kotoka International Airport, where campaigners are pushing for the iconic inscription “Akwaaba” to be replaced with ‘Oobakɛ.’ Images circulating online, believed to be AI-generated, show the airport signage altered to reflect the Ga greeting.
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