Africa-Press – Ghana. The poor nature of the road leading to the Nkyinkyim Museum, an evolving cultural tourism destination located at Nuhalenya-Ada in the Greater Accra Region, is affecting patronage of the site.
The two-kilometre road, stretching from the Hwakpo Junction section of the Accra-Aflao Highway is untarred – making it dusty and bouncy in the dry season and swampy in the rainy season. The Nkyinkyim Museum is an evolving outdoor museum in Ghana that is archiving and preserving African history and intangible cultural heritage.
Through beautifully designed sculpted pieces, the Museum narrates the story of the Slave Trade and other stories that express the love, passion, resilience, and rich culture of the African people.
Established five years ago by Ghanaian sculptor and artist, Kwame Akoto-Bamfo, the Museum until the onset of COVID-19 received more than 1,000 visitors annually – the majority of whom are foreign tourists.
Currently, the Museum has employed 22 stationed staff and offers internship opportunities to many art students in various institutions across the country and the continent.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Mawuli Atsyor, Studio Director at NkyinKyim Museum and Assistant to Mr Akoto-Bamfo, said patronage of the Site had dropped significantly due to the bad nature of the road.
He said the Museum had the potential to become the leading destination for cultural tourism on the continent and contribute significantly to the growth of domestic tourism and create jobs for the youth.
“The road is not motorable, especially during the raining season and for that reason, some tourists are unable to visit the site and that is a major problem for us,” he said.
Mr Atsyor said the Management of the Museum had in the past used their own resources to repair sections of the road but that was not enough to put the road in good shape.
He said for five years, the Museum had relied on solar energy and generators for power, adding that all efforts to get connected to the national grid had been unsuccessful.
“The solar system cost us GHS70,000. When the weather is bad and we have to rely on the generators, we use not less than GHS 400 on fuel in a day,” he said.
“A lot of the things we do here are self-funded. If we should maximise the full potential of this resource, the impact it would have on our tourism industry would be enormous,” Mr Atsyor added. Last Saturday, a high-powered delegation from Costa Rica toured the Nkyinkyim Museum to explore and understudy Ghana’s cultural tourism.
Led by Costa Rican Vice President Madam Epsy Campbell Barr, the visit formed part of efforts by Costa Rica to build the history of the People of African Descent and highlight their contributions and the importance of preserving their rich cultural heritage.
Mr Akoto-Bamfo, the Founder and Creative Director of the Museum received the Costa Rican delegation and introduced them to all the art installations at the Museum and the stories behind them. Madam Barr planted a Baobab tree at the site dedicated to Africa’s enslaved ancestors to mark her visit.
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