The World Bank has approved a US$50 million facility to support the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture under the Ghana Tourism, Art & Culture Sector Improvement Project, in strengthening its institutions and stakeholders, improving sector productivity for job creation, empowering women and youth across all sectors along the creative arts and culture value chain as well as enhancement of overall domestic / foreign tourist experience.

The facility, which was granted after the Minister, Catherine Afeku called for support towards sector improvement, marks the first time in the history of Ghana, that the Tourism, Arts and Culture industry has been supported by the World Bank through the Ministry.

The Ghana Tourism, Art & Culture Sector Improvement Project, will specifically support reforms in the Ghana Tourism Strategy and Sector Development Implementation Roadmap, as a starting point towards the revitalization of the sector. The project will also focus on fostering intersectoral stakeholder linkages and efforts coordination as well as training to build capacities to create a skilled workforce in the hospitality, tourism and Arts sector. In addition to facilitating beach sanitation and commercialization, the project will dedicate portions of the facility towards supporting MSME’s within the sector for job creation among others.

The Minister, since assuming office, has indicated her vision to transform the sector positively in line with the Nana Akufo-Addo led agenda for growth, prosperity and development and facilitate the sector to realize its full potential as a means of economic diversification in the agenda for wealth generation and employment creation.

The project, which will be implemented through stakeholder agencies, is expected to initiate the much-needed drive to revamp the tourism sector to reposition itself as a lead contributor to Ghana’s economic growth and development.