News
Parliamentary Committee on Chieftaincy, Cultural and Religious Affairs engages key institutions
- /home/u249204778/domains/spectator.com.gh/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
https://spectator.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/par4-1000x600.jpg&description=Parliamentary Committee on Chieftaincy, Cultural and Religious Affairs engages key institutions', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/u249204778/domains/spectator.com.gh/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
https://spectator.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/par4-1000x600.jpg&description=Parliamentary Committee on Chieftaincy, Cultural and Religious Affairs engages key institutions', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Chieftaincy, Cultural and Religious Affairs has embarked on a familiarisation visit to some key institutions.
The institutions are the Ministry of Local Government, the Christian Council, and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts.
The purpose of the visit was to gain insight into their roles, challenges and to explore how the committee can best offer its support.
In his remarks, the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, emphasized that a major issue being addressed is the resolution of chieftaincy disputes. He highlighted that the government is treating this matter with the utmost seriousness.
A notable achievement, he noted, was the decision to ensure that a ruling party member does not chair the committee—a move aimed at avoiding partisan decisions and ensuring fairness in resolving chieftaincy disputes.
According to him, “Mr. Chairman, we will put our political affiliations aside to confront these matters in a neutral, impartial, and transparent manner; once we do that, we will be able to resolve most of our chieftaincy issues.”
He highlighted sanitation as one of the core municipal functions under his Ministry and urged the Committee to work closely with the Government to help sustain the National Sanitation Day exercise across the various MMDAs.
During the committee’s visit to the Christian Council of Ghana, the Chairman, Rt. Rev. Dr. Hillard D. Dogbe, stated that although the Council has established standards and entry requirements for membership, it does not have absolute control over rogue pastors, a major challenge that could bring the image of the institution into disrepute.
He therefore called for self-regulation within the religious community and urged parliamentarians to refrain from endorsing rogue pastors, as such endorsements give them the zeal to continue operating with the impression that they have official support.
The Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts Dzifa Abla Gomashie, urged Ghanaians to celebrate, support and protect our culture, as it not only generates income but also sets us apart from the rest of the world, giving visitors a reason to return.
“Our uniqueness is reflected in our food, clothing, fashion, and heritage,”she noted.
The Minister expressed hope that the Ministry will be supported in its efforts to secure the recognition and resources it deserves to be able to do more.
The Chairman of the Committee, Fred Kyei Asamoah, commended the institutions for the good work done and gave the assurance that the committee would not be an armchair body, but rather an action-oriented one and would work closely to achieve results for the betterment of the country.
Egypt will host Africa’s new flagship business summit this October, as leaders from across the continent converge in the newly built smart city of New Alamein for the inaugural Alamein Africa Forum.
The forum is scheduled for October 2-4, 2026 in New Alamein, Egypt’s fourth-generation coastal megacity.
The city combines advanced infrastructure, modern residential districts, international universities, cultural landmarks, and major tourism and investment projects under one master plan.
Dubbed “the continent’s premier gathering where political power meets entrepreneurial prowess,” the forum is expected to bring together over 20 African Heads of State and Government, senior leaders from leading international and regional financial institutions, and key players driving transformation across Africa’s most critical sectors.
Co-organised by the Government of Egypt, African Export-Import Bank, and AUDA-NEPAD, the Alamein Africa Forum is designed as a permanent biennial platform to advance strategic partnerships and unlock investment across Africa and global markets.[Afreximbank]
The agenda will focus on sectors defining Africa’s future: infrastructure, energy, digital transformation, manufacturing, critical minerals, health markets, and intra-African trade*.
The programme will feature high-level plenary sessions, sector-focused panels, closed-door roundtables, and structured B2B and B2G meetings aimed at facilitating concrete deals and long-term partnerships.
Special sessions will also highlight Egypt’s role as a regional hub and gateway to African markets.
The inaugural forum will be held in parallel with the 2026 African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting and the 33rd Annual Meetings of Afreximbank.
Organizers say the forum will serve as a launchpad to translate the African Union’s 50-year strategic master plan, Agenda 2063, into concrete projects, policies and partnerships that will define Africa’s economic trajectory for the next decade.
“In an era of shifting alliances and rising volatility, Africa can no longer afford to be a bystander in decisions that shape its own economic future,” organizers stated.
The forum aims to place the private-sector agenda at the heart of AU decision-making, lower investment risk, unlock capital, and build cross-border partnerships to strengthen Africa’s resilience to external shocks.
Located on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast, New Alamein represents Egypt’s vision for smart, sustainable urban development. Hosting the forum there is expected to showcase the city as both a symbol of African modernization and a hub for investment and innovation.
By bringing public and private sector leadership into one alliance, the Alamein Africa Forum is positioned to become Africa’s go-to space for turning commitments into implementation.
By Chris KONEY, for Egyptian Embassy, ACCRA.
Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Minister, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called on stakeholders in the Bono Region to raise the bar on professionalism and patriotism if the region is to unlock its full tourism potential.
Speaking during a familiarisation tour of the region, the Minister met with staff of the Centre for National Culture (CNC) and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCs).
The engagement focused on how to position Bono as a leading cultural and tourism destination in Ghana.
Gomashie challenged public institutions to take a cue from the private sector by improving service delivery and embracing efficiency.
“Our institutions must be intentional about the way we serve the public,” she said, adding that “We need stronger collaboration and public-private partnerships to attract the right investment and build the tourism infrastructure that will make Bono competitive.”
The Minister urged MMDCs to work hand-in-hand with the Ministry and its agencies to identify, develop and promote key tourist attractions in their districts.
She also stressed the importance of preserving cultural heritage while creating an enabling environment for investors in tourism, culture and the creative arts.
The Minister added that “Tourism is not just about beautiful sites. It is about stories, about our heritage, and about the opportunities we create for our people.”
“This work we do today is not for ourselves alone. It is for Ghana and for generations yet unborn,” she noted.
Dzifa Gomashie further called on all stakeholders to build on the foundation inherited from previous leaders and leave behind a stronger, more vibrant sector.
The tour forms part of the Ministry’s efforts to decentralize tourism development and ensure every region benefits from Ghana’s growing creative economy.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
