Ghanaian broadcaster based in the United Kingdom, Austine Woode, has called on President John Mahama to retain Akwasi Agyeman as the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA).

Speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z, Austine indicated that Akwasi Agyeman’s sterling achievements at the Ghana Tourism Authority under the administration of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), needs to be continued by him. 

Although he believes the NDC might have other competent individuals to run the authority, he also thought it would be unfortunate to let Akwasi’s capability go waste because of his political inclination. 

“I think President Mahama should maintain the current GTA head Kwasi Agyeman. 

If you check the area of tourism and the ideologies of both political parties, they don’t differ so there will be a case of ideology. It will not be case of Free SHS when one says let us do it now, another says let’s do it later. There is nothing like that,” he noted.

According to him, Akwasi Agyeman has demonstrated that he loves the tourism industry more than partisan politics. 

“I have encountered him and I see his impact in the industry. I wish we will get to a point in our politics where positions like tourism will not be limited to partisanship. We should be heading towards there. I am not saying there are not good people in the NDC, but for continuity,” he noted.

Meanwhile, some industry stakeholders have suggested names such as Abeiku Santana, Gideon Areequaye, Kojo Bonsu, Francis Doku and Jesse Agyepong.

The GTA’s mandate is to regulate the tourism industry and doubles as the destination management organisation responsible for the marketing and management of tourism both locally and internationally.

About Akwasi Agyeman

Akwasi Agyeman is the CEO of Ghana Tourism Authority, the lead public service agency in charge of regulating tourism in Ghana through marketing and promotion, licensing and classification of tourism facilities and services, investments, research and development.

He was previously a shareholding partner of Global Media Alliance, where he was in charge of one TV station and 4 radio stations. Until recently, he was the president of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association.

Agyeman holds an MBA in Marketing and Information Systems from Tulane University in Louisiana (2003), USA. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences (1993) and a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA-1996) from the University of Ghana.

Agyeman has over 15 years’ experience in project management, crisis communications, PR and media relations, banking and relationship management. He has worked in senior level capacities with Ecobank, Merchant Bank, Stanbic Bank in South Africa.

At the Ghana Tourism Authority, he has supervised initiatives such as Year of Return/Beyond the Return, December in GH, and facilitated the development of some tourist sites in the country.