The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Akwasi Agyeman, has stepped down from his position.

Mr Agyeman, who assumed office in January 2017, successfully guided the GTA through a challenging period, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and spearheaded its remarkable recovery and growth.

Under his leadership, international tourist arrivals surged from 355,108 in 2020 to 1,148,002 in 2023, exceeding pre-pandemic figures. Domestic tourism also experienced significant growth, with visitor numbers increasing from 456,000 in 2017 to 1.4 million in 2023.

Achievements

During his tenure, Mr Agyeman oversaw the rehabilitation of numerous tourist sites, such as Kintampo Waterfalls, the Kwahu Paragliding Site, Bunso Eco Park, Denkyira Kyekyewere Eco Park, Tano Boase Sacred Grove, the Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Farm, and Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary.

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He also led the redevelopment of key historic and cultural landmarks, including the Accra Tourist Information Centre, Nationalism Park, Geese Park, Salaga Slave Market, Bonwire Kente Museum, and Pikworo Slavery Camp.

Notable initiatives such as "The Year of Return" and "December in Ghana" positioned the country as a major Christmas holiday destination, boosting international tourism.

Mr Agyeman demonstrated a strong commitment to digital transformation, launching the National Tourism Destination Single Window Project and the "Visit Ghana" App. He also prioritised capacity building, training over 3,069 individuals in customer service, digital marketing, and tourism product development under the Ghana CARES Obaatanpa Initiative.

Handover

Mr Agyeman has handed over responsibilities to the Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Otto Langmane, and Deputy CEO in charge of Operations, Ekow Sampson.

His resignation follows similar exits by some heads of state institutions who have resigned in the aftermath of the December 7 Presidential election. Sammi Awuku resigned as CEO of the National Lottery Authority while Julie Essiam also resigned as Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).