Africa’s prosperity crucial

– To global prosperity, says IMF MD after touring Nkrumah Park

By Isaac AIDOO, Accra

Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Madam Kristalina Georgieva has emphasized the pivotal role of Africa in global prosperity during her visit to the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Accra.

“There is no prosperous world without a prosperous Africa,” she added.

Reflecting on the profound legacy of Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Madam Georgieva underscored his visionary leadership and dedication to the prosperity of Ghana and Africa as a whole.

She commended Dr. Nkrumah’s unwavering commitment to unity and progress, despite facing significant challenges.

Madam Georgieva highlighted the importance of strong leadership and clarity of vision in driving progress, emphasizing Dr. Nkrumah’s efforts to unify Africa and empower its people.

She praised his determination to chart Ghana’s own course and build a prosperous future for the nation.

“I am very impressed with the role he played to unify Africa, and I am so proud that today Africans can say that our father was right,” Madam Georgieva remarked.

During her tour of the memorial park, Madam Georgieva paid her respects to Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, whose mortal remains rest alongside his wife, Fathia Nkrumah, in the mausoleum.

The park, adorned with Italian marble and a black star symbolizing unity, stands as a tribute to Dr. Nkrumah’s legacy and Ghana’s struggle for independence.

Accompanied by officials from the Ghana Tourism Development Project, Madam Georgieva and her team explored the various sites of the facility, receiving an in-depth historical lecture on Ghana’s fight for freedom and Dr. Nkrumah’s pivotal role in shaping the nation’s destiny.

The redevelopment of the park into a more captivating and fitting tribute to Dr. Nkrumah features an expanded museum, a presidential library, a refurbished mausoleum, and other amenities aimed at preserving and celebrating Ghana’s rich history.

Madam Georgieva expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to visit the memorial park and pledged to share her experience with colleagues, friends, and family, emphasizing the enduring significance of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s legacy and his vision for a prosperous Africa.

The redevelopment became necessary after the park, which was built in 1991 to house the remains of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, by then Head of State, Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, got into a state of disrepair.

The reconstruction maintains the historical value of the Park, increase its visitor capacity and improve service delivery to visitors.

New look

The statue is a 10.8 feet bronze statue, and an imposing mausoleum where his mortal remains and that of his wife, Fathia, are interred.

Other facilities include statues of horn blowers with a fountain surrounded by trees planted by some distinguished personalities, a library, conference and reception centres, an infirmary and a gift shop.

The upgraded fountain now incorporates captivating visuals and synchronized music, creating a mesmerizing experience for all who visit.

It also has a mini-amphitheatre, as well as picnic area for the youth and visitors.

The Park also serves as a heritage site, symbol of Africa’s liberation from colonialism.

With increased gallery space and state-of-the-art audio-visual capabilities, the museum offers an immersive and educational.

The road within the Park has been upgraded to provide a smoother and safer journey for visitors.

To cater to the increasing number of visitors, the car park has been improved with increased capacity, allowing for smoother and more organized parking arrangements.

It also boasts of a restaurant offering diverse culinary experience, toilet facilities to ensure convenience and comfort of visitors and new and efficient drainage network to mitigate any potential issues during the rainy season.

Other additional features include digitalized ticketing system.
Since its inception in 1993, the Park reached its highest visitation record of 98,000 visitors in 2019 during the Year of Return.

Following a facelift last year, the Park experienced a significant boost in revenue.

Monthly revenue jumped from GH¢30,000 to GH¢1m

The number of visitors surged to around 150,000 within four months, leading to a remarkable increase in monthly revenues from GH¢30,000 to an average of GH¢1 million.

The Kwame Park is projected to attract over one million tourists annually.