World Bank Regional Vice President for Western and Central Africa Visits Ghana’s Historic Kwame Nkrumah Park

World Bank Regional Vice President for Western and Central Africa, Ousmane Diagana, has toured the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Mausoleum (KNMPM) as part of his visit to Ghana.

Mr. Diagana and his delegation from the World Bank Ghana office visited the newly redeveloped park, which is a project supported by the recently concluded Ghana Tourism Development initiative. This visit allowed them to see the tangible outcomes of the Bank’s programs in the country.

During the tour, Mr. Diagana and his team were briefed on the history of Ghana and the legacy of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president and a leading Pan-Africanist.

The Acting Director of the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Mausoleum, Edward Quao, led the delegation around the facility and shared insights into the Park’s resurgence since its reopening in 2024.

“The number of visitors, both domestic and international, has increased five-fold since the Park reopened,” Mr. Quao said. “Initially, we anticipated that international tourists would dominate the visitor statistics.

While they still make up a significant portion, domestic tourism has grown remarkably and now competes closely with international tourism. We are very excited about this development.”

Mr. Quao further revealed that nearly 200,000 visitors had been recorded between July 2023 and January 2025, a significant increase compared to fewer than 30,000 annual visitors prior to the Park’s renovation.

He credited the World Bank’s support for the transformation and emphasized its positive impact on Ghana’s tourism sector.

As part of the tour, Mr. Diagana expressed admiration for the inspirational quotes of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah displayed on the Park’s walls. He urged people worldwide, especially Africans, to visit the site to learn about Dr. Nkrumah’s life, achievements, and enduring legacy.

“Dr. Nkrumah’s vision continues to inspire generations across Africa and beyond,” Mr. Diagana said.

In addition to visiting the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, Mr. Diagana also seized the opportunity to attend the swearing-in ceremony of H.E. President  John Dramani Mahama.

He is also scheduled to meet with President Mahama to discuss the vision of the incoming administration and explore how the World Bank Group can support Ghana’s prosperity and sustainability objectives.

While in Ghana, Mr. Diagana will also travel to Kumasi to pay a courtesy call on His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. During this visit, discussions will focus on the advancement of the Kumasi Urban Mobility Accessibility Project (KUMAP), which is currently under preparation. He will also visit the project site.

The World Bank has been active in Ghana since 1957 and currently manages an active portfolio worth US$4.84 billion across 25 projects. These investments span several sectors, including finance and competitiveness (15%), health, nutrition, and population (12%), urban resilience and land (12%), and social protection and jobs (9%).

Source: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo/newsghana.com.gh