GTA Deputy CEO Abeiku Santana Says Ghana’s History and Culture Make It the Gateway for Diaspora Return and Trade

Story by Fada Amakye

Ghana Tourism Authority Deputy CEO Abeiku Santana has declared that Ghana’s heritage, forts, and castles position it as the undeniable “gateway to Africa” and that the “door that was closed” to the diaspora “is open” for return, trade, and cultural exchange.

Speaking at a reception for a United States Virgin Islands delegation, Santana delivered greetings from Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Minister Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie and GTA CEO Mrs. Maame Efua Houadjeto. He said Ghana remains the leading destination in West Africa, with inbound arrivals of 1.3 to 4 million annually, and has seen “tremendous” growth in visitor numbers since post-COVID recovery.

Ghana competes in East and Southern African countries, but our strong tourism product, our culture and heritage, which no destination in West Africa beat us to it,” Santana said. “The year 2025 to date has been a phenomenal year for Ghana, because of the visionary leadership of His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama, positioning Ghana as the cultural capital of Africa.

The GTA Deputy CEO linked tourism to history and reparative justice, referencing President Mahama’s recent presentation at the United Nations General Assembly on the AU proposal for reparations.

“For those of you who don’t know, a king of a hunter was killed, and his head was cut off in 1873. This head was returned by the Dutch in 2009 and as we speak, it’s inside the 37 military mortuary mock,” he said. “When we talk about reparative justice, if you are not privy to history, you might think that we are asking for somebody to come and compensate us. That’s not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about a history that has affected a certain race population across the world.

Santana noted that of the 43 to 45 forts, castles, and slave dungeons built by Europeans across Africa, “40 are found in Ghana.

“So when we say we are the gateway to Africa, this is our story that nobody can change the history,” he said.

He highlighted the direct link between Ghana and the USVI, saying President Mahama noted that 65% of Black people in the Virgin Islands trace ancestry to Cape Coast. He cited King Aggrey, the first Gold Coast king sent into exile in the 17th century.

Our ancestors paid and sacrificed for the freedom and the liberty that we are having today, and our liberty and our freedom has also paved way for the freedom and the liberty of our brothers and sisters in the diaspora,” Santana said. “Now, the door that was closed, that you cannot return today, that door is open, and they can return.

He said President Mahama will next week host world leaders at Osu Castle for conversations on reparative justice.

Santana said initiatives like the Ghana-USVI partnership provide the best platform to reconnect with the diaspora.

Therefore, such conversation and platform and initiative is the best approach for us to reach out to our brothers and sisters in the diaspora, they are our own, and it’s time for them to come home, and it’s time for us to also go and visit them, and the enabler that can bridge the gap is trade and tourism,” he said.

He commended the Ghana Enterprises Agency for “this strategic initiative aimed at unlocking opportunities and strengthening meaningful economic culture and commercial partnership between our two nations.

Today we gather not merely as representative of nations or institutions or businesses, but also as partners connected by shared aspiration, growth, prosperity, cultural exchange,” he added.

The Ghana-USVI partnership, launched through GEA, targets cooperation across healthcare, education, renewable energy, agriculture, trade infrastructure, technology, tourism, and professional services.