Mr Azonko Simpi, Chief Executive Officer, World Time Limited has urged government to build an iconic tower at the centre of the world on the Greenwich Meridian in Tema.

He said such an iconic tower should have facilities for both local and international conferences; adding that it would serve as a huge tourists’ attraction, since people could travel from both within and outside Ghana to have their weddings and other ceremonies at the centre of the world.

Mr Azonko made the appeal in Tema at the “Ghana 60 Years On – AU @ 54” public lecture on the theme “Ghana Centre of the World Leads Africa from GMT to UTC Time”.

The lecture was organised as part of activities marking Ghana’s 60th Anniversary and the African Union’s 54th Anniversary.

Speaking on the topic “Tema – land at the Centre of the World”, Mr Azonko, who gave a historical overview of Tema, called for the celebration of Tema as the centre of the world.

He said Tema is multicultural city on the Greenwich after London; and therefore, called for the strengthening of the Greenwich Sister City Initiative.

He said the Presbyterian Church Temple in Community One, Tema was the first Presby Church on the Greenwich Meridian.

He said on October 7, this year, the world would be marking the 280th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar under which the Greenwich Mean Time was developed; stating there was the need for the issue of Tema as the Centre of the world to be highlighted.

He announced that on June 17, Tema would be hosting the African Renaissance Classical Music Festival.

Mr Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) Chief Executive Officer, said the lecture marked a significant milestone in their quest to promote tourism in Ghana.

He said it was their plan to re-position Ghana on the global tourism map; adding that this project sought to make Tema a pivotal city around which migration from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to UTC (Coordinated Universal Time)”.

He said TMA would create and offer an enabling environment to fully harness the opportunities that come with the “Ghana – Centre of the World” project.