Omanghana
President John Dramani Mahama has expressed disappointment over Accra’s inability to host major international conferences because of inadequate conferencing and hospitality facilities.
The president disclosed that Ghana’s capital had been overlooked on at least two occasions because it lacked enough conference space and hotel rooms to accommodate large international delegations.
Speaking during the sod-cutting ceremony for the Sentuo Airport Garden City project in Accra on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, Mahama said one of the conferences was eventually moved to Dakar, Senegal.
“I know of two occasions on which Accra was bypassed because we did not have enough conference rooms to host major international conferences,” he said.
“At least one of them was bypassed for Dakar, Senegal, and I felt very ashamed that Accra would be bypassed for Dakar in terms of a major international conference.”
Mahama said Ghana must invest in modern hospitality and conference infrastructure to compete effectively for large global events and benefit from the economic activity they generate.
He identified the proposed Sentuo Airport Garden City as one of the developments capable of closing Accra’s infrastructure gap.
The estimated $1.3 billion mixed-use project is expected to include a 2,500-capacity conference center and a 600-room hotel. Its plans also cover 582 premium apartments, healthcare facilities, a modern shopping mall, landscaped gardens and other commercial and leisure amenities.
Mahama expressed confidence that the conference center and hotel would substantially increase Accra’s capacity to host global gatherings, including events organised by the United Nations.
“This development will end that. We’ll have enough hotel rooms. We’ll have enough conference facilities to be able to host even a UN conference here in Accra,” he stated.
The president said investments in conference tourism could produce benefits far beyond the hotels and venues hosting the events. Large international gatherings create demand for transportation, catering, accommodation, entertainment and locally produced goods.
He added that artisans, farmers, traders, tour operators and surrounding communities could all benefit from increased visitor numbers and economic activity.
Mahama also called for Ghanaian engineers, architects, technicians, artisans and suppliers to be given meaningful roles during the project’s construction. He said local participation, apprenticeships and skills transfer would help ensure that the investment delivers lasting benefits to Ghanaians.
Source: Omanghana
