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Ghana’s Tourism Minister commends Emirates at grand opening of store in Accra
Ghana’s Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Ketu South Constituency has lauded Emirates for its continued investment in Ghana’s aviation and tourism sectors.
Speaking at the grand opening of the Emirates Travel Store in Accra on Wednesday, the Minister praised the airline’s commitment to service excellence and its growing footprint in the West African market.
The Emirates Travel Store, designed as a one-stop hub, offers a modern and inspiring space where customers can plan their trips, book Emirates experiences, and receive expert travel advice.
The facility aims to enhance convenience for travellers and boost Ghana’s appeal as a regional tourism and business destination.
“I am excited that you have been able to upgrade your service to our country,” Hon. Gomashie said. “Our customers and compatriots, as well as the West African hub as a whole, stand to benefit significantly from this,” she said.
She emphasized the importance of learning from Emirates’ globally recognized service standards, adding that Ghana’s own tourism and hospitality industries must adopt similar best practices.
“Those of us who have had the privilege of flying with many airlines know that the service on Emirates is not what you typically find elsewhere. People don’t just pay for cake, they pay for how it is served. And that’s something Emirates does exceptionally well,” she noted.
Reflecting on recent national efforts to develop Ghana’s aviation industry, the Minister referenced a presidential task force commissioned last week by H.E. President John Dramami Mahama to explore the re-establishment of a national airline.
She remarked that Emirates’ success offers valuable lessons for Ghana as it seeks to build a competitive and service-oriented airline.
“We should not only experience Emirates but learn from the quality of service they provide. If we want to position Ghana as a destination of choice, it’s not just about flying, it’s about how we serve, how we welcome, how we treat others. That warmth is our competitive edge,” Gomashie said.
She also shared a personal reflection, expressing admiration for the Emirates team and encouraging staff to take pride in their roles.
She noted “Working with an airline was something I aspired to as a child, so make it count. Let it reflect in the service we offer not just here, but across all sectors in Ghana.”
Ghana’s Minister of Transport and a member of parliament for Saboba Constituency, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, expressed gratitude to Emirates for its role in connecting Ghana to the global network and investing in local infrastructure.
“Emirates has carried passengers from Ghana to the rest of the world. The comfort and convenience we see here today is not just for workers but for all passengers and business travellers. We hope Ghana, as a growing connectivity hub, can someday play the same role through our own national carrier,” he said.
The launch of the Emirates Travel Store marks another breakthrough in the airline’s engagement with Ghana and reinforces its role as a major partner in the country’s tourism and aviation development.
Management of Emirates, led by Mr. Saood Al Aqili – Country Manager, and Mr. Adil Al-Ghaith – Senior Vice President Commercial Operations Centre both emphasized the airline’s commitment to fostering deliberate and strategic dialogue with the Government of Ghana.
The objective, they noted, is to explore areas of mutual interest where both parties can exchange knowledge, align activities, and work together to support the sustainable growth of Ghana’s aviation and tourism sectors.
Emirates expressed a strong desire to share its global expertise with Ghanaian stakeholders.
This includes initiating collaborative efforts with Ghana’s tourism board to engage more actively with the Arabian travel market.
The airline also proposed the introduction of joint promotional campaigns, the organization of industry workshops, and the involvement of leading international partners to help position Ghana as a key travel destination in the region.
Management reiterated that such partnerships would not only boost tourist arrivals but also contribute meaningfully to building Ghana’s reputation as a premier tourism and connectivity hub in West Africa
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Prioritise affordable treatment of sickle cell treatment —Health Expert
Health experts have urged Ghana to prioritise affordable and accessible treatment for sickle cell disease (SCD) as advanced, but costly curative therapies remain out of reach.
SCD, an inherited blood disorder, affects about three in every 100 newborns in Ghana.
Globally, around 1,000 babies are born with the condition daily, with three-quarters in sub-Saharan Africa.
The disease causes severe complications including chronic pain, anaemia, infections, strokes and organ damage, often leading to shortened life expectancy.
In recent years, gene therapy has been developed as a potential cure.
However, its cost—running into millions of dollars per patient—makes it financially and technically inaccessible in Ghana.
According to Dr Lawrence Osei-Tutu, a Sickle Cell and Childhood Cancer Expert at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, “the country must instead focus on practical, lower-cost interventions such as hydroxyurea”, a decades-old cancer drug proven to reduce painful episodes, hospitalisation and life- threatening complications in SCD patients”.
Taken orally, the medicine improves red blood cell function and is considered safe and effective.
“Hydroxyurea therapy is as good as the cure and a low-hanging fruit to pluck, we must bring a cure to our sickle cell warriors, but do so sustainably.” he urged.
In a chat with The Spectator here, he said to create awareness on the disease, the expert noted that despite its benefits, “hydroxyurea is not widely accessible in Ghana.”
Stressing that, “many patients either cannot afford it or struggle with irregular supply through the health system.”
Moreover, he argued that scaling up access would provide immediate relief while the country builds the infrastructure, trains specialists and secures funding needed to support curative therapies in the future.
With an estimated 15,000 babies born with sickle cell disease annually in Ghana, Dr Osei Tutu cautioned that “failure to improve access to effective treatment will leave many patients vulnerable to preventable complications and early death.”
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
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Let’s reintroduce Cultural Studies to complement educational reforms — Tourism Minister
Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has emphasised the importance of reintroducing Cultural Studies in schools as part of Ghana’s broader educational reform agenda.
She said Cultural Studies would complement existing efforts to reposition Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to promote digital literacy and expand Creative Arts education.
Speaking at the 2025 Homowo Festival of the people of Ningo-Prampram, held on the theme: “Education: The Best Legacy for our Children,” Madam Gomashie said cultural education was critical to national identity and development.
She noted that the festival’s theme aligned with the Government’s vision to transform education in Ghana and encouraged the youth to embrace it not only as a means of personal development but also as a way of preserving traditional values.
These values, including patience, wisdom, and hard work, were at the core of the Homowo celebration, the Minister said.
“Cultural festivals like Homowo are vital instruments for strengthening cultural identity, preserving historical memory, and fostering national unity. Additionally, festivals serve as platforms for educating the youth through storytelling, music, dance, and other traditional practices, while also providing opportunities for community engagement.”
Madam Gomashie highlighted the strong foundation that Ghana’s tourism was built on, which included culture, traditions, and the creative industry, collectively contributing to over GH¢4.8 billion to the economy.
“Festivals give tourists reasons to visit our country. Therefore, with the right infrastructure and the development of all the domains, the sector can do more than what has been recorded,” she added.
Mr Sam Nartey George, the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram and Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, commended the community for their vibrant participation in the festival. He announced plans for the construction of a new nursing training school in Ningo, aimed at expanding access to healthcare education in the area.
Nene Osroagbo Djangmah XII, Paramount Chief of Great Ningo Traditional Area; King Dr Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, Ga Mantse; Nene Tetteh Wakah III, Paramount Chief of the Prampram Traditional Area; Prof. Odaifio Welentsi III, Paramount Chief of the Nungua Traditional Area; Naana Dugbakuwor Dugba II, Paramount Queen Mother of Great Ningo; and Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Special Envoy on Religion and Inter-Faith Affairs, who represented the Chief of Staff, were among dignitaries at the festival. -GNA
