By Fred Kwame Asare
Accra, Nov. 22, GNA – Months after the commissioning of the redeveloped Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, the facility continues to be the talk of town.
Within five months, it has attracted more than 150,000 visitors and earned the State an average of one million Ghana Cedis a month.
The Memorial Park, with its inbuilt modern facilities, is now one of the destinations of choice for guests from far and near.
Close to the Nkwame Nkrumah Memorial Park is the Black Star Square.
It was constructed by Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in 1961 shadowed by the Accra Sports Stadium.
The Square was purposely built to host national events, including the annual Independence Day celebrations, the inauguration of Presidents, and civic and, military parades, among others.
It has hosted notable gatherings such as the visit of the late Queen of England, Elizabeth II in 1961 and that of Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton in 1998.
It is a symbol to Ghana what the Arche de Triomphe is to France or the Statue of Liberty to the United States of America.
The Square is designed to host about 30,000 people – and houses three monuments, the Independence Arch, the Liberation Day Monument, and the Black Star Gate.
However, the celebrated historic site, also known as the Independence Square, is in a bad state, with sections continuing to deteriorate by the day.
It is engulfed in filth, developed structural defects, with sections of the roofing ripped off.
The red, yellow, and green seats fixed under the shed have been removed from the many damaged stands, exposing some iron rods.
The Independence Arch, which is designated for the President and dignitaries, has developed cracks at some portions, with visible water stains.
Some tile components of the Liberation Day Monument have suffered cracks, while others are detached from the floor.
The pot has also corroded in some sections, taking away the beauty of the monument.
Interestingly, the soldier fixed atop the monument is intact, covered in army green.
The once beautifully crafted Black Star Gate with deep historic connotations is gradually wearing away, soaked in insanitary conditions.
Some designed blocks that surround the Gate have severely cracked, exposing corroded iron rods.
Flowers and other beautification plants are not well kept, depleting the beauty of the monument.
Another disturbing development is the lack of a proper liquid waste disposal system at the Black Star Gate.
Liquid waste is unable to flow out of the Gate, becoming stagnant and developing algae at sections of the drains and producing bad smell.
A total eyesore to tourists, with the potential to derail efforts to promote the Visit Ghana Agenda – which seeks to sell Ghana, its culture, traditions, and other relevant features to the outside world for foreign exchange.
The Tourism Ministry projects 1.2 million international arrivals for the sector with about 115,000 visitors from the United States alone between December 1 to 15, this year.
If this can be achieved, then the once glorious Black Star Square must be fixed in time.
GNA