Tourism Authority denies changing Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park greetings

The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has denied allegations that it replaced the Akan and Ewe greetings on the welcome signage at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park with a Ga-language inscription.

This follows social media reports claiming that the widely known greetings “Akwaaba” (Akan) and “Woezor” (Ewe) had been substituted with the Ga word “Oobakɛ.”

The claims emerged amid calls by some members of the Ga community for greater linguistic representation on signage across national infrastructure located on Ga land.

In an official statement, GTA Chief Executive Officer Maame Efua Houadjeto described the reports as false and misleading. She clarified that no such directive had been issued or approved by the Authority.

According to the GTA, the signage at the Nkrumah Memorial Park remains unchanged and continues to reflect Ghana’s cultural diversity.

Any official modifications, the Authority stressed, would require clearance from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and other relevant institutions.

The GTA further stated that it had no knowledge of the alleged alterations and had not sanctioned any such activity.

The public has been urged to disregard the misinformation and continue supporting the Park as a key national heritage site.

The controversy has reignited broader conversations around linguistic representation in public spaces, especially in Accra.

Some Ga-speaking citizens argue that the exclusion of the Ga language from key national monuments and facilities located on Ga land is a longstanding oversight that must be addressed.

The conversation has also extended to Kotoka International Airport, where online images suspected to be AI-generated have surfaced, showing “Akwaaba” replaced with the Ga greeting “Oobakɛ.”

However, no official changes have been confirmed at the airport.