Whose culture are we selling?
Judith Ama Afenyi-Donkor Esq.General Legal Advisory
9 MIN READ · Guest contribution
This is a guest contribution, first published in the Business & Financial Times. Below is a summary of its argument; the full text will appear here once republication is agreed with the author.
Tourism is one of Ghana's most promising industries. This guest essay asks whether the law treats it as stewardship of heritage or as extraction, using Dodi Island on Lake Volta as its case.
Tourism's promise
Tourism offers Ghana job creation, trade and cultural visibility, yet the communities that host its attractions often benefit least. The essay frames tourism as a question of stewardship rather than exploitation.
Ghana's legal framework
The author reads the 1992 Constitution, Art. 36(9) and Art. 41(k) alongside the Environmental Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1124) and the Tourism Act, 2011 (Act 817) as the foundation for responsible tourism development.
Legal oversight
Environmental impact assessments, co-operation between the EPA and the Ghana Tourism Authority, and a proposed joint oversight committee are presented as the practical tools of enforcement.
Land governance
Tourism sites sit on public, stool and family lands. The essay considers Art. 257(1) and Art. 267(1) and the challenges each tenure type creates for development.
Comparative lessons
Kenya, South Africa and Rwanda are offered as jurisdictions whose community-inclusion and conservation models Ghana could learn from.
Dodi Island and a framework for stewardship
Dodi Island is used as a case for policy renewal in infrastructure, community inclusion and cultural integration, leading to a proposed framework built on accountability, inclusivity and sustainability, with an eye on AfCFTA.
Judith Ama Afenyi-Donkor Esq.
Lawyer at Ghartey & Ghartey Law Firm, practising in IT law, human rights law and family law.
This article is for general information and does not constitute legal advice. Read our legal disclaimer.