Preserving Ghana's Military Heritage: An Enquiry into the Intangible Heritage Assets of the Ghana Navy

Abstract

The study sought to investigate the intangible heritage of the Ghana Navy after the Second World War (WW II). It examined what constitutes intangible heritage, who determines these heritage assets, and the relevance of its conservation. Using an interpretive research approach, the study explored intangible heritage assets of the Ghana Navy and their associated tourism potential. Drawing on civil-military relations theory, the study aims at understanding the relationship between the military and society in the preservation and promotion of military heritage. Using ethnographic research design, the study used observation and participants’ interviews.  Primary data was collected from both active and veterans of the Ghana Navy, while secondary data sources were obtained from archival, library, and other literary sources. The findings revealed that the Ghana Navy has been built by many years of experience, customs, and traditions, which form the bedrock of the institution. However, there was a general lack of publicity on these heritages and the tourism potential associated with them. It also contributed to the public understanding of the Ghana Navy’s collections of intangible assets while also deepening the understanding of the military as an institution with an enduring history and legacy, as well as the tourism potential of naval heritage in Ghana.