Cape Coast, March 11, GNA- The Ghana Museum and Monuments Board,(GMMB) has since 1992, not received any budgetary allocation for the restoration of historic and tourists sites in the country, including the forts and castles.

Mr Nicholas Ivor, a senior conservator of the board, disclosed this at a day's conference on the restoration of 'Fort Amsterdam', at Abandze, at the Cape Coast castle on Thursday, said most of the funds acquired by the board have been through donor support.

Scuola Edile di Perugia, an institution based in Italy, whose expertise is in the restoration of monuments, and the 'Abandze development and welfare association' are to restore and activate the fort, which was constructed by English colonialists in 1631 and later taken over by the Dutch in 1665, at a total cost of 440,000 Euros, over a three-year period.

The Italian institute, is to contribute 400,000 euros, whilst the association would contribute the rest of the amount towards the project, which will involve the reconstruction of the walls surrounding the fort, restoration of the rooms.

When the restoration works are completed, the fort, would among others, have an exhibition room, a bar and restaurant and a vocational centre to train the youth in income generating activities.

The conference, which was among others, attended by chiefs, assembly members, members of the African descendants association and conservation related NGOs, was to facilitate a "public dialogue" with stakeholders to enrich the planned conservation project. Also present, was the Italian Ambassador to Ghana, Dr Giancarlo Izzo, through whose instrumentality, the institute was assisting in the project.

Mr Ivor, was unhappy about the situation, and described the fort as "being in ruins", and said the restoration project would be implemented in three phases, through on the job sharing and transfer of technical know-how with local artisans, equipping and training of personnel to man the fort to facilitate the inflow of tourists, and the construction of the vocational centre.

He observed that the proper way to maintain such historic properties in the custody of GMMB, was to put them in some appropriate use which is compactable with its design, and that the challenges faced in the restoration of the Cape Coast and Elmina castles, make it imperative to ensure consensus at key points in taking decisions about the project among stakeholders.

The Chairman of the National Commission on Culture (NCC), Professor George Hagan, noted that the restoration of such historic monuments, normally brings strong social cohesion, contribute to economic growth and enhance the standard of living of the beneficiary communities.

He however, observed that they could also become a potential source of conflict and called for the necessary consultation to avoid any conflicts, and suggested that in undertaken such projects, consideration should not only be given to the physical and historical needs, but the "spiritual significant needs", as well.

"Care must, especially be taken to adopt our castles to use that would not constitute a desecration or a sacrilege", he cautioned, and urged the participants to use the forum to discuss any intended uses that may prove insensitive to any of the stakeholders, in respect of the history of human suffering the fort represents.

Nana Kobina Nketsia V, Chairman of the Board, in his welcoming address, commended the sponsors of the project and pledged the board's support and assistance, since the fort plays an important role in the history of the country.

Nana Kwesi Atta, chief of Abandze, also commended the sponsors and said the fort has a number of facilities, if when well developed, could enhance the tourism potentials of the area.

He pledged the support and cooperation of the people, to ensure the early completion of the project, which he noted, would not only attract tourists but would also create job opportunities for the unemployed in the area. 11 March 04