The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Dzifa Gomashie, has called for the demolition of unauthorised structures around forts and castles across the country.

She said the encroachment threatens the beauty, integrity and long-term preservation of Ghana’s heritage sites.

Speaking at a symposium on the Korea-Ghana Heritage Project in Accra, Dzifa Gomashie stressed the need for stronger engagement with communities living around heritage sites to help them understand the importance of protecting such locations.

According to her, the lack of community engagement often makes residents resistant to efforts to remove illegal structures around forts and castles.

“Often, we leave out the engagement with the community. And so they don’t see the importance of why our, for example, call for the demolition of illegal structures around the forts and castles,” she said.

She added that the extent of encroachment around some heritage sites was alarming and required urgent action.

“If I show you pictures of the encroachment on the buffer for the forts and castles, you will join me in doing Aluta,” she said.

The Minister maintained that protecting Ghana’s cultural heritage requires collaboration between government, traditional authorities, local communities and other stakeholders.

She called for a more coordinated approach to preserving the country’s forts, castles and other heritage assets for future generations.