Let’s preserve heritage sites to boost socio-economic development

Mr Benjamin Afagbegee, an Architect and Senior Conservator of Monuments, Ussher Fort, Accra, has encouraged Ghanaians to preserve heritage sites to boost the nation's socio-economic development.'Heritage sites are places that retell our history, our cultural values, and our epitomes, making us unique. They contributed significantly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of many nations, including African countries as it is a source of income and livelihood for local communities and professionals.'Mr Afagbegee made the call as part of community advocacy during a UNESCO World Heritage Volunteers Workcamp organised by the Voluntary Workcamps Association of Ghana (VOLU), in partnership with the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, Ussher Fort, and community youth.The three-week workcamp, among other activities, saw volunteers from VOLU, Ussher Fort staff, and community youth paint the facades of the fort and the exterior and interior of the fort's museum gallery.Mr Afagbegee said heritage sites served as tang ible vestiges of history and as such deserved proper maintenance.'Seeing that Ghana is endowed with numerous cultural heritage assets, maintenance of heritage sites is vital notwithstanding challenges posed.'A major thematic area requiring urgent attention is scientific research focusing on fashioning resilience for vulnerabilities stemming from the impact of climate change stressors on cultural heritage sites in Ghana,' he noted.To ensure continued maintenance of heritage sites, he said there should be more advocacy and sensitisation programmes to inform the public on the values and significance of cultural heritage sites.He added that regular maintenance should be undertaken in compliance with guidelines and protocols to protect the authenticity and integrity of heritage assets and to pass them on to future generations.Source: Ghana News Agency