The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Development Company Ltd. (GTDC), Professor Kobby Mensah, has emphasized the urgent need for Ghana to develop a structured approach to valuing its cultural assets, including cocoa, folklore, festivals, and artifacts.
Speaking at the launch of the National Chocolate Week, organized by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) in Accra, Prof. Mensah highlighted that while cocoa has long been a key economic driver for Ghana, its cultural and historical significance remained undervalued.
To address this, he proposed a formula for determining the cultural value of cocoa, represented as STU, where: STU stands for the Sum of the Total Use of Cocoa, and ny1 represents the number of years cocoa has existed, ny2 represents how many years it will continue to exist.
Nonetheless, he said the sector would be developed when the government invests in world-class tourism sites, facilities, and accommodations to enhance Ghana’s appeal as a global tourism destination. It also strengthens capacity building within the tourism sector to ensure skilled professionals drive industry growth.
Prof. Mensah’s call for a structured valuation of Ghana’s cultural assets aligns with broader efforts to promote heritage conservation and sustainable tourism.
He said as the tourism sector seeks to diversify beyond traditional attractions, initiatives like Chocolate Week highlight how cultural and economic sustainability can go hand in hand.
Additionally, Prof. Mensah commended the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts, along with the GTA, for their efforts in positioning cocoa as a valuable cultural asset through the Chocolate Week initiative.
He noted that cocoa is not just a commercial product but an integral part of Ghana’s cultural identity, history, and global reputation.
He further praised ongoing efforts to sustain the cocoa sector, emphasizing that integrating cultural heritage into economic planning is key to ensuring its long-term viability.
