Tourism Minister Urges Board Chairs to Pressure Institutional Reset and Expansion – Life Pulse Daily

Introduction

On 30 January 2026, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, **Dzifa Abla Gomashie**, delivered a keynote address to a cohort of governing board chairpersons across Ghana’s tourism‑related public entities. The speech, reported by Life Pulse Daily, sets a clear agenda: board leaders must act as catalysts for **institutional reset** and **sector expansion** while remaining strictly within their supervisory remit. This article unpacks the minister’s directives, explains the broader **President John Dramani Mahama** reset agenda, and offers practical guidance for board chairs seeking to align their institutions with national growth targets. By weaving the primary keywords—tourism minister, board chairs, institutional reset, and expansion—into the narrative, the piece is optimized for search engines and designed to attract readers looking for authoritative, up‑to‑date information on Ghana’s tourism governance reforms.

Key Points

Background

A Snapshot of Ghana’s Tourism Sector

Ghana’s tourism industry contributes roughly **4 % of GDP** and supports over **1.5 million jobs** (World Bank, 2024). The sector is dominated by heritage sites, beach resorts, and cultural festivals, yet faces challenges such as fragmented governance, limited private investment, and inconsistent funding streams. The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts (MTC CA) oversees a network of public entities—including the Ghana Tourism Development Company, the Ghana Arts Council, and several regional tourism boards—each governed by a board of directors chaired by senior professionals.

Institutional Governance Structure

Public entities in Ghana are governed by a dual‑layer system: a board of directors that sets strategic direction and an executive management team responsible for daily operations. The board’s mandate, as defined by the Public Enterprises Governance Act (Act 828, 2016), includes:

• Approving annual budgets and major capital projects.
• Ensuring compliance with national policies and standards.
• Providing oversight of performance metrics and financial reporting.

The minister’s recent address seeks to sharpen this governance model by emphasizing institutional reset—a systematic review of mandates, performance, and resource allocation.

President Mahama’s Reset Agenda

President John Dramani Mahama announced a **“reset”** program in his inaugural address, focusing on three pillars:

1. Prudent use of state assets – Re‑evaluating public‑private partnerships and eliminating inefficiencies.
2. National startup ecosystem – Supporting entrepreneurship, especially in creative arts and tourism.
3. Sector‑wide renewal – Modernizing infrastructure, digital services, and branding.

The reset agenda is reflected in the Ministry’s tourism development strategy 2025‑2030, which calls for a 20 % increase in visitor arrivals by 2028 and a 15 % rise in revenue from cultural festivals. Board chairs are positioned as the frontline agents for delivering these targets.

Analysis

Strategic Importance of Board Chairs in Sector Expansion

Board chairs wield considerable influence over the strategic direction of their institutions. By championing collaborative partnerships, they can unlock joint ventures, co‑marketing initiatives, and shared research programs that multiply the reach of Ghana’s tourism offerings. For instance, a chair who facilitates a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between a regional tourism board and a private hotel chain can accelerate the rollout of new accommodation packages, directly contributing to the sector’s expansion goals.

Institutional Reset: Governance Reform and Performance Review

The term institutional reset signals a comprehensive audit of each entity’s mandate, performance indicators, and resource utilization. A reset can involve:

• Redefining core functions to eliminate overlap.
• Introducing performance‑based contracts for senior executives.
• Re‑allocating underutilized assets (e.g., vacant tourist sites) to high‑impact projects.

Such reforms are intended to ensure that public resources are managed responsibly, a priority echoed by the minister in her speech.

Potential Challenges and Opportunities

While the reset agenda offers a clear roadmap, board chairs may encounter several hurdles:

• Cultural inertia – Long‑standing practices may resist rapid change.
• Limited expertise – Some chairs lack deep sector knowledge, which can hinder strategic decision‑making.
• Funding gaps – Scaling operations often requires additional capital, which must be sourced responsibly.

Conversely, opportunities abound:

• Access to the President’s reset fund for high‑impact projects.
• Enhanced credibility through transparent governance, attracting both domestic and foreign investors.
• Alignment with national branding campaigns (e.g., “Visit Ghana 2026”) that promise higher visibility.

Oversight Mechanisms and Their Role

The minister’s office retains a monitoring function that complements board autonomy. This oversight is not punitive but supportive: it provides policy guidance, risk assessments, and a platform for rapid problem resolution. For example, the “Oobake” incident demonstrated how the ministry can intervene when misinformation threatens public trust, while still respecting the board’s decision‑making authority.

Practical Advice

How Board Chairs Can Foster Collaboration

1. Identify complementary partners – Map private operators, NGOs, and academic institutions that share tourism interests.
2. Establish joint steering committees – Create ad‑hoc groups that meet quarterly to review progress and align with reset targets.
3. Leverage digital platforms – Use shared dashboards to track visitor metrics, revenue, and resource allocation in real time.

Steps to Align with the Reset Agenda

• Review existing mandates – Conduct a gap analysis against the Ministry’s 2025‑2030 strategy.
• Set measurable KPIs – Adopt targets such as visitor‑day increase, revenue per visitor, and job creation per annum.
• Develop a 3‑year action plan – Prioritize projects that deliver quick wins (e.g., marketing campaigns) and long‑term infrastructure upgrades.

Managing State Resources Prudently

Board chairs must ensure that every expenditure is justified by a cost‑benefit analysis and that procurement follows the Public Procurement Act (Act 663, 2003). Key practices include:

• Maintaining an up‑to‑date asset register.
• Implementing internal audit cycles at least twice a year.
• Reporting any irregularities to the Office of the President’s Oversight Unit within 48 hours.

Funding Strategies Without Overstepping

While the minister encourages chairs to “help raise funds where needed,” the request is framed within the context of responsible fundraising. Recommended approaches:

• Apply for **government‑backed tourism development grants** (e.g., the Ghana Tourism Development Fund).
• Partner with **impact investors** focused on cultural heritage projects.
• Organize **public‑private partnership (PPP) tenders** that are transparent and competitively awarded.

Maintaining Independence from Daily Operations

The minister’s clarification—“You’re not expected to be involved in the day‑to‑day running”—means chairs should avoid micromanagement. Instead, they should:

• Focus on strategic decisions (budget approval, policy endorsement).
• Empower the CEO/Executive Director with clear operational authority.
• Monitor performance through periodic board reports rather than direct involvement.

Responding to Public Scrutiny and Controversies

When incidents such as the Independence Arch kissing episode arise, chairs should:

1. Acknowledge the public concern promptly.
2. Provide factual information in a neutral tone.
3. Reference the official response from the Ministry (as Gomashie has done).
4. Engage with parliamentary committees transparently, offering data‑driven explanations.

This approach preserves credibility and demonstrates adherence to the reset’s emphasis on accountability.

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