Entertainment industry analyst, creative designer and poet Selorm Ameza has questioned Ghana’s reported plan to spend £10 million annually on a partnership with Premier League football club Sunderland AFC, arguing that the government should prioritise developing tourism infrastructure and strengthening links with the African diaspora before investing heavily in international sports sponsorship.
Ameza said Ghana risks replicating Rwanda’s high-profile “Visit Rwanda” sports partnerships without first building the infrastructure, strategic planning and tourism products needed to convert global exposure into sustained visitor arrivals and economic returns.
“I am not excited about this investment because I fear it would only be another ‘24-Hour Market’ kind of project,” Ameza said, arguing that Ghana’s tourism sector lacks some of the infrastructure and managerial capacity required to maximise the benefits of such a campaign.
He pointed to Rwanda’s investments in tourism infrastructure, national parks and its coffee industry, arguing that the country had linked its international sponsorships to specific products and target markets. Ameza said Rwanda’s partnerships with major European football clubs were part of a broader tourism and economic strategy rather than standalone advertising arrangements.
Rwanda’s partnerships have promoted tourism alongside products including coffee and tea, while also supporting other objectives such as youth football development, he said.
The key question for Ghana, Ameza argued, is whether a proposed football sponsorship has a clearly defined target market and a strategy for converting international visibility into tourism revenue, investment or exports.
“What’s the target market, and how would this investment make an impact?” he said.
Ameza said Ghana should instead consider directing more resources toward developing its existing tourism assets, particularly heritage tourism connected to the transatlantic slave trade and the African diaspora.
Ghana’s “Year of Return” demonstrated the potential of heritage and diaspora tourism, he said, reinforcing the country’s position as a gateway for members of the African diaspora seeking to reconnect with the continent.
He also identified adventure, nature and eco-tourism as areas requiring greater investment, citing waterfalls, hiking trails and other sites that he said have not received sufficient infrastructure development.
Cultural tourism represents another opportunity, according to Ameza, who said festivals across the country continue to struggle with financing and the high cost of staging events.
He argued that government investment could help organisers acquire logistics and infrastructure, including stages, sound equipment and concert facilities, potentially strengthening Ghana’s cultural calendar and tourism appeal.
The criticism highlights a broader debate over how Ghana should allocate public resources to promote tourism internationally.
While sports sponsorship can provide access to large global audiences, Ameza said its effectiveness would depend on whether Ghana has clearly identified what it intends to sell and whether visitors attracted by an international campaign can access well-developed tourism experiences.
“Let’s use the money to develop our tourist sites and concentrate on connecting Ghana with the diaspora community,” he said.
For Ameza, Ghana’s tourism strategy should build around assets that distinguish the country from other African destinations rather than attempting to duplicate another country’s model.
The central challenge, he said, is to ensure that any international promotion is tied to investment in the tourism products, infrastructure and experiences that can turn global attention into long-term economic benefits.
