By Hafsa Obeng
Accra, Aug. 28, GNA – Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has inaugurated a joint Ghana-Korea Heritage Project Steering Committee.
The Committee is to provide strategic direction and oversight for the implementation of a five-year programme to strengthen the preservation and climate resilience of Ghana’s heritage sites.
The inauguration marks a significant milestone in the growing heritage conservation partnership between Ghana and the Republic of Korea, following a series of preparatory activities undertaken by institutions from both countries.
Madam Gomashie said the project had already recorded progress through policymakers’ training, a university symposium, a community dialogue in Jamestown, as well as ongoing technical planning and baseline studies.
She attributed the progress to the strong collaboration between Ghanaian and Korean heritage institutions.
The Minister said the scale and duration of the project required a strong governance structure to ensure that the partnership moved beyond goodwill to deliver measurable results.
She said “This is the role of the Steering Committee,” explaining that the committee would provide strategic oversight, take timely decisions and hold implementing partners accountable.
Madam Gomashie said the committee’s terms of reference clearly defined how decisions would be taken, how shared ownership of the project would be reflected and how the joint secretariat would function through the Ghana Commission for UNESCO and the Korea National Commission for UNESCO.
She said clearly defining the respective roles of the Steering and Technical Committees would help prevent delays, duplication of efforts and uncertainty during implementation.
The Minister therefore urged members to approach their responsibilities with commitment and regard their membership as a working assignment rather than a ceremonial position.
She noted that the value of the Ghana-Korea partnership went beyond the physical preservation of heritage sites, stressing that cultural exchange and people-to-people engagement would further strengthen relations between the two countries.
Madam Gomashie described the project as an opportunity for Ghana and Korea to deepen their cultural ties while developing practical approaches to protect Ghana’s heritage for future generations.
Dr. Hyunik Hong, Secretary-General of the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, commended Madam Gomashie for her leadership and political commitment towards the partnership.
He said the inauguration marked the point at which the shared vision of Ghana and Korea was being translated into concrete action.
Dr. Hong said key interventions under the project would include climate-risk mapping, digital surveying and 3D modelling, joint research, the establishment of a dedicated monitoring facility and capacity building for local heritage site managers.
He said the interventions would strengthen a data-driven and climate-resilient heritage management framework.
He said the Steering Committee would provide strategic direction, coordinate partnerships, uphold scientific standards and guide implementation through 2030 and beyond.
Dr. Hong reaffirmed Korea’s commitment to working closely with Ghanaian institutions to achieve the project’s objectives and establish a sustainable and climate-adaptive approach to heritage management.
The Steering Committee is chaired by Madam Gomashie and includes Dr. Hong; Professor Osman Tahidu Damba, Secretary-General of the Ghana Commission for UNESCO; Mr Kwesi Essel Blankson, Acting Executive Director of the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board; a representative of the UNESCO Accra Office; and representatives from the Ministries of Environment, Science and Technology and Finance.
As part of the collaboration, the Korean team has provided equipment, technology and logistics to support the implementation of the project.
Some of the equipment has already been delivered, while the remaining items are expected to arrive by November 2026.
The equipment includes laptops and desktop monitors, data management software, digital microscopes, ultrasonic testing devices, a magnetic susceptibility meter, strength-test rebound hammers, non-destructive moisture meters, calipers, crack gauges and crack-monitoring sensor systems.
Other specialised equipment expected include an infrared thermal imaging camera, drone and high-resolution camera equipment, a 3D scanner, cameras and lenses, as well as GPS survey instruments.
The equipment is expected to strengthen Ghana’s capacity to undertake scientific assessment, documentation, monitoring and conservation of heritage structures, while facilitating the transfer of technical knowledge and skills to Ghanaian professionals.
The project is also expected to enhance Ghana’s capacity to document, monitor and protect heritage sites against climate-related threats while promoting research, technological innovation, community participation and sustainable heritage management.
GNA
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba
Reporter: Hafsa Obeng