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Parliamentary Committee engages Tourism Minister to bolster sector collaboration
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In a move aimed at deepening institutional collaboration and strengthening oversight, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has paid a familiarisation visit to the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie.
The visit, conducted as part of the Committee’s constitutionally mandated oversight responsibilities, sought to foster stronger ties between the legislative and executive arms of government to enhance policy implementation and service delivery in the Cultural and Tourism sectors.
Welcoming the delegation, Dzifa Gomashie described the visit as both a “divine call and a national duty.” She emphasised the Ministry’s readiness to work closely with Parliament to leverage legislative support for the promotion of Ghana’s cultural identity and the growth of the tourism sector.
Highlighting recent milestones, the Minister celebrated Ghana’s successful inscription of the iconic Kete fabric on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. She credited this achievement to the Ministry’s deliberate efforts to safeguard and promote Ghana’s rich cultural heritage globally.
The Minister also revealed ongoing initiatives to secure UNESCO recognition for Highlife music, which she described as “purely and authentically Ghanaian.” She noted that the Ministry has assembled a comprehensive archive, including audio recordings, interviews, and scholarly materials, to support its nomination efforts.
Underscoring the economic significance of the sector, the Minister disclosed that Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts currently stand as the third-largest contributors to Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). “With your support,” she said, “we believe it is possible to move from third position to the first.”
She further called on Parliament to support legislative reforms to modernize and streamline the operations of agencies under the Ministry. Many of these institutions, such as the National Commission on Culture and the Centres for National Culture, still operate under outdated legal frameworks, despite the Ministry’s restructuring under a 2013 Executive Instrument.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee, Hon. Fred Kyei Asamoah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Offinso North, praised the Minister’s leadership and innovation. He explained that the visit formed part of a broader familiarization tour by the Committee, in line with Order 257(2) of the Standing Orders of Parliament.
“The Committee is mandated to examine the work of ministries, departments, and agencies within its purview. As part of this responsibility, we plan to undertake a further visit to assess the Ministry’s operations and service delivery firsthand,” Mr.Asamoah stated.
Ranking Member of the Committee and MP for Pusiga, Ayamba Ayii Laadi, emphasised the importance of promoting tourism in the Northern Region.
She highlighted the potential of the region’s unique attractions and local cuisine, humorously noting the health benefits of traditional Ghanaian dishes, which she credited for her youthful appearance.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to ongoing collaboration between the Ministry and the Committee. Both parties agreed that strengthening partnerships and aligning policy and legislative frameworks are essential to positioning Ghana as a leading cultural and tourism destination on the global stage.
Former Awutu Senya East Member of Parliament, Mavis Hawa Koomson, has been elected the National Women’s Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
She secured 738 votes to defeat her main contender, Mohammed Safia, who polled 429 votes in the election held on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.
The election formed part of the NPP’s National Delegates Conference, which brought together delegates from across the country to elect new national executives for the party.
The conference was characterised by a colourful display of the NPP’s red, white and blue colours, with party supporters and delegates filling the stadium ahead of the various elections.
Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was among the prominent personalities who attended the delegates conference ahead of the elections.
Following the declaration of the results, Hawa Koomson moved around the stadium with some of her supporters, thanking delegates for voting for her and expressing confidence in her ability to lead the party’s women’s wing.
Speaking after her victory, Hawa Koomson said she would bring her experience and maturity to the position and work to strengthen the party’s women’s structures.
She indicated that she would work with her former contender, Mohammed Safia, despite the competition between them during the election.
“We are all NPP members and we are going to work together for victory,” she said.
According to her, her immediate task would be to unite the women of the party and mobilise them to contribute effectively to the NPP’s activities at the grassroots and national levels.
She called for greater support and solidarity among women, and recounted an experience in which she said another woman helped save her life after she was attacked.
Using the experience, Mrs Koomson urged women to have one another’s backs, stressing that women should be ready to support and defend each other.
The former MP spoke about her political journey and her return to a national leadership position after losing the Awutu Senya East parliamentary seat.
She said she had never regarded her political journey as a failure and was proud to have reached the national level to serve the party.
Mrs Koomson said her decision to contest the National Women’s Organiser position was driven by her desire to continue contributing to the NPP and use her experience to support the party.
Hawa Koomson explained the need for women to protect themselves, including the use of pepper spray as a means of self-defence when faced with danger.
She encouraged women to support and defend one another, drawing from her own experience of being attacked and helped by another woman who intervened to save her.
As National Women’s Organiser, she will be responsible for coordinating and mobilising women across the party, strengthening the women’s wing at the constituency and regional levels, and increasing their participation in party activities.
She is expected to work closely with the newly elected national executives to strengthen the party’s structures and prepare its women’s wing for the party’s future political activities.
Mrs Koomson thanked the delegates for the confidence they had placed in her and pledged to work with members of the party as she begins her new role.
By: Jacob Aggrey
John Boadu has been elected as the National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) following the party’s National Delegates Conference held on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.
Boadu secured a decisive victory with 2,888 votes, beating his closest contender Boakye Agyarko who polled 2,408 votes.
Former Chairman Paul Afoko garnered 790 votes, while Sammy Crabbe managed 41 votes.
The victory marks a major political comeback for John Boadu, who previously served as the party’s General Secretary.
Ahead of the elections, Sammy Crabbe had reportedly pulled out of the race to form an alliance with John Boadu, a move that appears to have strengthened Boadu’s numbers on the day.
The keenly contested chairmanship race was a highlight of the 2026 National Executives Election, which drew thousands of delegates from across the country to Kumasi.
Boadu is expected to lead the party’s reorganization efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
