News
Black Star Experience is not same as Year of Return
Ghana’s tourism and creative economy continue to experience renewed growth as government strengthens efforts to position the country as Africa’s leading cultural and heritage destination.
While many still associate Ghana’s global tourism success
with the landmark Year of Return campaign of 2019, it is important to understand that the country has since moved into a new phase of sector growth under the Black Star Experience, a broader and forward-looking national programme being
advanced under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama.
Over the past year, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and its agencies have intensified efforts to grow the sector positively, creating renewed momentum across tourism, arts, and the creative industries.
These efforts form part of the Mahama administration’s wider commitment to reposition tourism and
culture as key drivers of economic growth, job creation, and global engagement.
Under President Mahama’s leadership, tourism and the creative arts have regained prominence as strategic pillars for national development.
Government’s renewed focus has provided stronger coordination across agencies, boosted stakeholder
confidence, and created fresh opportunities for creatives, event promoters, tourism operators, and investors within the sector.
At the ministerial level, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has been working to strengthen Ghana’s cultural ecosystem and tourism value chain through the various agencies under the ministry.
The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Ghana’s primary tourism marketing agency, has also continued to record notable progress in destination promotion and stakeholder
engagement.
Under the leadership of Mrs. Maame Efua Sekyi-Aidoo Houadjeto, the
Authority has sustained campaigns and partnerships that keep Ghana visible in competitive tourism markets while supporting industry players to raise service and product standards.
Understanding the difference between Ghana’s flagship tourism initiatives is
therefore important. The Year of Return was a commemorative campaign marking 400 years since the first enslaved Africans were taken to the Americas.
It invited the African diaspora, particularly African Americans and Afro-Caribbeans, to reconnect with their ancestral homeland.
The initiative resonated globally, drawing record visitor arrivals and creating powerful emotional and economic connections.
The Black Star Experience, however, represents a more expansive and sustainable national agenda. Rather than being tied to a single commemorative year, it is
structured as a long-term programme designed to position Ghana as the Cultural Capital of Africa, offering year-round cultural, entertainment, heritage, and creative experiences.
While the Year of Return focused on historical reconnection, the Black Star
Experience looks ahead, promoting Ghana’s living culture, contemporary creative industries, festivals, music, film, cuisine, fashion, and lifestyle experiences to both global and continental audiences.
A key strength of the current approach under the Mahama administration is the emphasis on sustainability and inclusiveness.
The Black Star Experience aims to
ensure that tourism benefits extend beyond Accra to communities and heritage destinations nationwide, creating jobs and economic opportunities across regions.
In essence, the Year of Return reopened the door between Ghana and the global African diaspora.
The Black Star Experience now expands that journey, inviting the
world not only to return, but to continually experience Ghana’s culture, creativity, and hospitality.
As Ghana builds on the progress made over recent years, the renewed energy and direction under President John Dramani Mahama signal a promising chapter for tourism and the creative economy, one that seeks to transform Ghana from a moment of global attention into a permanent destination of cultural excellence, investment opportunity, and shared prosperity.
Edward Boafo Owusu
Programs Lead,
Black Star Experience Secretariat
The 24 Hour Economy Authority has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hunan Architectural Design Institute Group to support the planning of the Volta Economic Corridor.
The agreement aims to guide how land within the corridor will be used, design key infrastructure, and develop systems that will support large scale production.
The partnership will focus on detailed planning to make the area ready for investment and smooth business operations.
The project will include the development of agroecological parks, industrial zones, and transport networks to connect production centres to markets.
According to the Authority, proper planning is critical to building strong economic systems and expanding production across the corridor.
It noted that the collaboration with the Chinese design firm will help lay a solid foundation for industrial growth and long term development within the Volta Economic Corridor.
By: Jacob Aggrey
President of the Ghana Bar Association, Efua Ghartey, has called on judges and lawyers to carry out their duties with humility, fairness, and a strong sense of responsibility.
She made the appeal during the Supreme Court at 150 celebration held at the University of Ghana, under the theme “Honouring the past, celebrating the present and defining the future.”
Addressing participants, she noted that those in the legal profession occupy positions of great power and influence, and must therefore remain humble in the discharge of their duties.
She urged both the bench and the bar to deliver justice without fear or ill will, stressing the need for fairness in handling cases.
Reflecting on the significance of the celebration, she explained that the year 1876 marks not only the establishment of the Supreme Court but also the beginning of formally trained lawyers in the Gold Coast.
The GBA President questioned what Ghana would be without the rule of law, which is upheld by judges and lawyers, adding that the country could descend into a system where only the strongest survive if justice is not properly administered.
She further encouraged legal practitioners to reflect on their responsibilities and remain committed to upholding the rule of law for the benefit of all citizens.
By: Jacob Aggrey
