The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) is set to revamp the Geese Park in Accra, with plans for a modern, high-capacity, state-of-the-art conference centre in partnership with global movie icon Idris Elba.

The move is part of a larger, ambitious Heritage Village project being spearheaded by the renowned actor and entrepreneur

Chief Executive Officer of the GTA, Maame Efua Houadjeto, made this known on Monday, December 15, confirming the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government's decision to repurpose the prime piece of land.

The CEO explained that the former administration's vision for the site was too limited for the nation's economic ambitions.

“The former administration intended to use that place as a park to relax and also introduce some geese into the recreational centre, but we, the NDC, have another plan. Our plan is to develop that into a state-of-the-art conference centre,” Maame Efua Houadjeto stated on Citi FM.

This strategic pivot aligns with Ghana's goal to become a leading destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism, crucial for attracting high-value international business events and cultural conferences.

The Heritage Village Connection

The proposed conference centre is designated as a central component of the sprawling Heritage Village project. This major development initiative, which covers the entire area encompassing the park, has been allocated to Idris Elba's investment group.

“That whole area has been given to Idris Elba to create what we call the Heritage Village. So as part of the Heritage Village, we need a conference centre,” the GTA CEO confirmed.

The redevelopment hinges on the GTA using the Geese Park land, which she termed a "tier one property" and "prime property", as the foundation for the new centre.

“The park will go. GTA has a number of parks. It is a tier one property. It is a prime property that we can use for the Conference Centre so that we can close what we have for renovations,” she explained.

Maame Efua Houadjeto justified the urgency of building a new facility by pointing out the significant limitations of the existing Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), which was originally commissioned in 1991.

“Our current conference centre architecturally is not very strong. It needs refurbishment, and the space there takes just about 1500 people,” she pointed out.

The limited seating capacity of the AICC renders it unsuitable for hosting major global events, which often require seating capacity upwards of 5,000, placing Ghana at a competitive disadvantage against regional rivals like South Africa and Morocco.

The new state-of-the-art centre is expected to dramatically increase this capacity and provide the modern architectural and technical facilities required by international organisers.

The redevelopment will also allow the existing AICC to be temporarily closed down for necessary renovations and architectural strengthening without losing Ghana's ability to host mid-to-large-scale events.