Strategies for Conserving Military Heritage for Tourism: The Case of Ghana Navy

Abstract

This study explores the heritage of Ghana since its inception after the Second World War (WW II). It identifies and examines tangible and intangible assets that comprise this heritage in relation to various strategies adopted by Ghana Navy to protect and conserve these heritage assets for posterity. Research on military heritage in Ghana is very scanty due to the peculiar character, rules, regulations and professional activities of the Armed Forces particularly the Ghana navy. The restrictive nature of the naval installations coupled with inadequate technical knowhow in conservation practices prevents the Ghana from fully availing themselves to other sources and forms of conservation strategies and practices. Furthermore, there is a limit to the extent members of the public engage with them to learn about their heritage. Qualitative method was used to gather primary and secondary data. Using ethnographic and other anthropological research methods and techniques, primary data was gathered from active naval personnel and naval veterans while secondary information was obtained from archival, library and other literary sources.  The study discovered that Ghana Navy has been built through many years of experience, customs and traditions of the state to achieve an objective of providing protection at the sea and inland water bodies. The Ghana navy’s heritage encompasses tangible attributes and intangible attributes which constitute the bedrock around which the institution revolves. This study contends that documenting naval heritage is one of the important strategies to promote heritage tourism in Ghana.